Commuters face heat with lack of bus shelter in city

Septuagenarian Premavathi who was waiting for bus for more than 30 minutes, collapsed all of a sudden at Shivarathreshwara Nagar bus stand here on Sunday. With absence of bus shelter she was maid to sit on footpath and relax for some time.

This is just a example. Every day lakhs of bus commuters are facing heat with lack of bus shelters in city. Tourists, Women, children, senior citizens are more vulnerable. School, college students are also facing severe hardship due to lack of bus shelters. The children with heavy bags on back can be found sitting on footpaths waiting for arrival of buses.

There are 3,000 bus stops all around the city, whereas the number of bus shelters is around 450. Of which some of them are not in good condition, lack maintenance and few of them are occupied by vendors, and beggars to relax. Absence of bus shelters in front of bus stops at schools, colleges, hospitals has irked localities.

'Major junctions in city lack bus shelters. With buses wont arrive on time and not able to face heat some of the commuters hire autos. There is need of constructing proper bus shelters in main junctions,' added School Teacher Ambuja.

'With decline in green cover surrounding to city following road widening works the people cant even shelters themselves under shades of trees. Senior citizens, women can be find struggling hard and few of them sit on ground waiting for buses,' added Medical Student Tharun.

'People can be seen standing in rains, braving heat to catch buses. With increasing population the officials have to construct bus shelters and look into all basic facilities are provided. Most of the bus shelters are constructed under Public Private Partnership and lack maintenance. There is lot of scope to make the journey happy of bus commuters', adds Concerned citizen Sunil Kumar.

Speaking to Express, KSRTC Divisional Controller Ramamurthy said that atleast 50 per cent of the major bus stops need shelters and they have hold talks with MCC officials in the regard. 'We are ready to provide all required assistance. Soon a drive should be conducted and bus shelters has to be constructed. We have submitted a details of the major bus stops which need shelters,' he added.

MCC Commissioner Jagadish said that 'Corporators have been asked to submit the area where bus shelters are required in their ward. Within a week tenders will be invited. In first phase in all the 65 wards bus shelters will be constructed within two months. Further studying the requirements few more bus shelters will be constructed'.


Some of the major bus stops need shelter are at: Shanthi Sagar, KG Koppalu, Panchavati Circle near Mathrumandali Circle, Hardinge Circle, Ittegegud, Siddartha Layout, Kesare, Sharadadevi Nagar, Dattagalli, Akshay Bhandar Cirlce, Bogadi Road, Paduvarahalli Circle, BM Hospital on Hunsur Road, Teresian College lane, Vidyaranayapuram Chamundeshwari Temple, and several other localities.