Encroachment of bus stop inconveniences all

Private vehicles and food carts crowd the newly constructed Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus stop at the Mysuru toll gate opposite Gopalan Mall.

As a result, buses find no space to pull up near the shelter for commuters' convenience. Goods carriers, cabs, private cars, garbage trucks and autos often encroach on the bus stop, forcing buses to stop in the middle of the road and block the lane on the busy three-lane road. Bus drivers are, therefore, forced to stop on the main road, blocking traffic on one of the three lanes.

Not so surprisingly, commuters stay away from the shelter. "In the late evenings, customers of the food carts use the shelter. After the inauguration, people began parking their vehicles here in the night and began doing it even during the day," said Kanthiraj, who regularly commutes from the Mysuru Road bus stop.

The traffic police initially cleared the mess, but the encroachment continued. "We stop at the main road and block the traffic," said a BMTC bus driver. "After the evening, only foodies frequent the place. It is an uphill task for the passengers to use the shelter, particularly in the rainy season."

BMTC managing director V Ponnuraj admitted that encroachment of bus shelters is nothing unique to Mysuru Road. "Most bus stops in the city face this problem. It is also hard for the traffic police to monitor this every day. Soon, we'll find a permanent solution to the issue," Ponnuraj said.