A bus stand with few facilities

A bus stand with few facilities

The Hindu

For want of space, BMTC drivers avoid parking buses at bays causing chaos

BANGALORE: Buses that never stop inside the terminal; clueless passengers waiting for a long time; and minor accidents; this is the scene at the bus stand at upmarket Banashankari.

The BMTC Traffic Controller, who did not want to be named, said: "The condition of the bus station is pathetic.

"The bus bays are inadequate. Only buses on route no. 500, 501, 600 and 601 are stopped at the bays. The others have to be stopped outside." The bus station is located at a tri-junction and one of the roads is the busy Kanakapaura Road.

No boards

With no boards showing the timings of the buses, the passengers are left in the lurch.

The BMTC official said a proposal has been sent to the Assistant Traffic Manager-City Market regarding the problems but no action has been taken so far. "There is no traffic police here to clear the roads. Every now and then people get into fights over parking space," he said. Bus conductor Kalannagowda said the bus station should be shifted to a place where there is adequate place for buses to be parked. Bus driver Adaviappa said: "There are no time and schedule boards. So there is no regularity for buses to arrive and leave."

Turns and accidents

He said there is little space for the buses to take a turn. The buses have to turn around next to the crossroads where all roads join. Sometimes the BMTC buses kiss each other.

Shilpa, a college student, says: "It is difficult to catch a bus here as most of them never enter the bus station. We have to stand on the road to get into the buses. There is no proper division between the road and the bus stop. Students going to colleges in Jayanagar and Koramnagala have to use this bus station and many get into the running buses." BMTC Chief Traffic Manager Sharief says: "It is a busy junction. Traffic jams are because of many factors. One of them is the construction of shopping complexes on both sides of the road."

He said the BMTC has arranged schedules so that buses stay for only a few minutes in the bus station.