JOIN USThe woes of bus commuters never seem to end. While some bus shelters in the City have no roofs at all, others are completely in shambles.
Whether it’s because of garbage dumps or broken seats, the bus shelters in the City are in a miserable condition. Commuters also point out that vital information — like the numbers of buses that are scheduled to halt at a particular stop — are not mentioned at many bus shelters in the City.
Rohan, a student, says that bus shelters have become synonymous with garbage. The Kalasipalyam bus shelter is particularly in a bad condition with garbage strewn all around. “This bus stand is one of the busiest, yet there is hardly any maintenance. There is garbage strewn all around.
The Majestic Bus Stand is equally dirty — there is filthy water flowing everywhere and it is extremely unhealthy to stand there and wait for a bus,” says RohanSubhash, a student, commutes regularly by bus. He says that most people who are new to the City and don’t know the bus routes are confused about which bus stops where.
“There are very few bus stops in the City which mention the buses that stop there. There is no information given and in some cases, the numbers need to be repainted as they are fading out. This is one of the most common problems that I face,” he says.
Most bus shelters also need a fresh layer of paint and major changes in terms of infrastructure. Commuters say that some busy shelters probably need to be extended and equipped with more seats so that waiting for a bus doesn’t become a cumbersome affair.
The bus shelter near Trinity Circle on MG Road is equally badly maintained, dirty and broken — it has almost become a public urinal. The space behind that bus stop is full of construction waste, garbage and the pathways are broken. Hence, most passengers prefer to stand on the roads to wait for buses instead.
Somshekhar, the chief engineer for road infrastructure with the BBMP, says that the agencies who advertise at the bus stands are the ones who are responsible for the maintenance of these bus shelters.
On being informed that most of them do not do anything to maintain them, he explains, “We have invited tenders to erect 432 new bus shelters across the City. This will be based on a public-private partnership model. Under this, we will also renovate some of the old bus shelters and demolish some damaged ones to erect new ones.”
Harini, a student, says that waiting for buses in the blazing sun is tiresome and the authorities need to clean the bus stops and repair the seats. “The bus stop in Viveknagar is in a mess; the seats are broken and since they are made of iron, they can harm anyone who tries to sit on them. Also, there is hardly any space to stand.
On a busy day, we are jostling for space and during late evenings, the shelter becomes a hub for goons. Though it is one of the busiest bus stops, there is hardly any maintenance,” she says.
It is not just bus stops in the interiors parts of the City which are badly maintained; bus stops on some of the important roads are also an eye sore.