'A bag of woes at bus stand'

While old bus stand had no other problem except substandard food, the new bus stand has a range of problems which are yet to be addressed.

The major problem being faced by passengers is the lack of bus facilities from the old bus stand to the new bus stand. While KSRTC has pressed into service two buses, they were not enough to meet the demand for the number of people using their services.

While many get into crammed buses, a few try their luck with the autorickshaws. However, autodrivers don’t spare them too. At least five to eight people are accommodated in one autorickshaw from the old to new bus stand.

Divisional controller of KSRTC, Basavaraj said that in future, only one bus out of 10 would enter the city. If there is a more demand, additional buses will be operated from old and new bus stands, he added.

Another problem has the railway crossing situated between two bus stands. Whenever, the gate is closed, vehicles are lined up to N R Circle. Earlier, the presence of police personnel and broad roads ensured that there were no traffic jams. But, KSRTC drivers started stopping buses near N R Circle causing further traffic inside the city limits.

Residents have to bear with the problem until a Railway over Bridge (ROB) is built near the circle.

While a dedicated six-lane service road has been constructed for KSRTC buses, the construction of the eight-lane public road is still going on at a snail pace. The proposal for the work on the roads started in 2006 at a cost of `  five crore. But the actual work started last year. It won’t be surprise if residents have to wait for a few more months for it to be completed.

Other problems include the lack of parking facilities and food stalls. Presently, there are only two soft drink shops in the new bus stand. A few stalls are still being constructed and might take more time than expected for their completion.