Poorly designed Rs 30 cr suburban bus stand

Storm water drains at entrance of parking lot is clogged with debris

According to a press release from Vishwas Krishna of Mysore Grahakara Parishat, the conditions appear to be a consequence of numerous defects in planning, design, execution and maintenance of the facility.

It appears that the basement parking can hold about 30 cars and hundreds of two-wheelers, which normally appears full. Most of the commercial establishments scheduled to come up at the building are yet to start. When they become functional, there will be no parking space for their customers’ vehicles.

Sewage pipes are leaking at several places at the basement parking, soiling both people and their vehicles. The walls are stained by leaking sewage and there are puddles of sewage water at several places.

The lighting in the underground parking area is very low. There is no backup generator. So during power shutdown, the whole place goes pitch dark. Since the whole parking lot is damp and dark, there are mosquitoes all the time, the release said.

Storm water drains (at entrances of the parking lot), which are supposed to prevent rainwater from entering the underground parking space, are clogged with debris and hence do not serve any purpose. There are no proper directions to the parking lot from the platforms.

Since buses stop inside the stand to pick up passengers, about 6 feet at the edge of the platform should have been cordoned off. But it has not been done. As a result, there is a possibility of unwary persons standing or walking in this area being hit by a bus backing into position.

The raised platform projects 8-10 feet out to enable passengers to board buses from its back entrance. But all new buses have entrances only in the front. So the purpose of providing this projection is defeated, Krishna said in the release.

The same is true for roof overhang. If the roof covers the entire length of the bus, passengers could enter it even during heavy rain without getting wet. Now it is not possible. There are no drains to enable flow of rainwater. So pools of water form during rains.

Incoming buses stop near the entry disgorging passengers. This is a scene of chaos.
There are several needless stairs. Instead of keeping them at the same level as the passenger platform, ticket counters have been placed a couple of feet higher — leading to needless stairs. There are also stairs leading to nowhere!

Ramps have been provided at some places, but there is no ramp from the footpath to the road! Such ramps pay mere lip service to persons with disabilities.

The land on which the bus stand has been built is classified as ‘Traffic and Transportation’ in the Revised Comprehensive Development Plan, 2011, for Mysore. According to zoning regulations, only bus stands and parking can be provided in such a zone.

Canteens and banking counters (not exceeding 5 per cent of the total area) can be provided with special permission. There is no provision for shops in a traffic and transportation zone. But, shops have existed for several years next to the Bangalore section of the bus stand. Now more shops and restaurants are coming up, he said.

In the project report for the bus stand (at www.jnnurmmysore.in/DPR/KSRTC/Moffusil.pdf) it is mentioned: “Given the location of the proposed bus terminal and the real estate scenario, large scale leveraging of the site is possible”.

So,it appears that making money has taken precedence over providing quality service to the public. Providing an unnecessary shopping complex has become more important than providing decent parking and safe platforms, the release said.