Hope reigns as public awaits completion of work on Metro interchange station

Braving decades of decadence, people seems ready to wait for a few more months after which they hope the Majestic chaos will start clearing up. Once the Metro interchange station work completes, the area will start looking up. This is their view, but the optimism is not shared by all.

Bus conductor, Kalappa articulates the problems associated with the interim period: “Though it would be convenient to have a Metro near Majestic, there have been frequent traffic jams in the past week. We have been asked to change our routes to manage the traffic.”

In the words of Parandhamaraju, a construction supervisor, the commotion at the Majestic bus stand is only due to the Metro line work. He hopes that it will subside once the work is finished. “The bus stand as such poses no major hurdles to the passengers. Everyone around cooperates and helps one to get on board,” he says.
 Some have taken the disorganised look of the bus stand in their stride. Reasons as security personnel, “You cannot expect the bus stand to be well-organised as it is open to public. It has both KSRTC and BMTC and is surrounded by railway station and now, the Metro.” His message was clear: The age old bus stand is “good as it is.”

But a shopkeeper at the bus stand, Shivanna, draws attention to problems linked to lack of proper signages. He says he is being flooded with all kinds of inquiries from bus timings to location of the Metro station. Signboards have to be displayed in and around the bus stand. He also refers to congested paths and reckless driving.

Blessy Issac, a lecturer at Chirst College, points out that the passengers need a clear guidance to various places inside the bus stand. “Bus stands are not organised well. There are far too many buses coming into the station which might be causing the problem. It is particularly difficult at night when you cannot spot the direction boards.”

Echoing the same point is Vibha Bhat, a consultant for Sonata Software. “Buses are almost running over people. The bus movements inside the stand should be streamlined, which could happen over time,” she says.

Facilities for smooth pedestrian movement are what BA student Mahati looks for. “The pedestrian paths have to be taken care of and the safety of women should be considered. Walking into the bus stand in the late evenings can get quite alarming,” she notes.