No takers for new private bus stand at Madikeri

The newly constructed private bus stand on Race Course Road has not been put into full use due to lack of cleanliness. Garbage dumped all over the new facility deters passengers fro coming to the bus stand.

The municipality constructed the new private bus stand at a cost of 5 crore. However, despite spending huge amount of public money, the facility is not being put into use and the passengers continue to wait for buses at old bus stand in Madikeri.

Primarily, the new bus stand fails on cleanliness. The entire premises is filled with sluh and even the toilets have not been maintained pro0perly. Since there is no proper lightning, the whole bus stand plunges into darkness after sunset.

Passengers allege that bus timings had not been displayed the bus stand. Further, it is located at a distance of around one km from the heart of the city as a result of which people have to spend money on autos to reach the bus stand.

A private bus owner on condition of anonymity said that the municipality had not issued any direction on route for the movement of buses to the new stand. Though a route map allowing private buses to proceed from General Thimmayya Circle to Raja Seat-Race Course Road had been prepared, the same had not been given effect to. While exiting the stand, the buses should take Press Club - College Road - Kohinooru Road and then to their destinations.

Sarvajanika Hitharakshana Vedike President Ravi Gowda said passengers were confused about the exact parking space for the buses at the private stand. He said that that new bus stand had not benefitted the passengers.

The new bus stand can accommodate 20 buses at a time. There are eight shops in the bus stand complex and none of them has been opened so far, said the passengers.