Bridge ‘paves way’ for bus shelter

Bridge ‘paves way’ for bus shelter
Rahul Kaimal & S Lalitha, Bangalore, April 18, DHNS:

Civic problems appear to perpetuate on Kamaraj Road. Even as the work on bridge across a storm water drain has been completed, a bus shelter has now disappeared causing inconvenience to travelling public.

The Kamaraj Road Traders, Temples and Residents Association succeeded in prevailing upon the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for timely completion of the work on the bridge. However, the disappearance of the huge bus shelter and failure to asphalt the busy road has compounded the miseries.

The L-shaped bus shelter, which stood at the junction of Kamaraj Road and Nala Road was removed to facilitate construction of the bridge. Buses proceeding to Jeevanahalli, Kamanahalli and Banasawadi have a stoppage here. Public, mostly women, were seen seated on a raised platform of the bridge waiting for the buses under scorching sun. Autos had parked themselves at the spot where the bus shelter stood once.

“There is no shelter and even trees at this spot. Shopkeepers object if we take shelter near the shops, ” rued Santhoshamma, waiting for a bus to Jeevanahalli. She was sceptical whether the shelter would come up or not.

However, a couple of autodrivers hanging around, seemed to have a different take on the issue, obviously to protect their business interests. “Young boys and girls from surrounding colleges and tutorials hang around under the shelter all day long and behave in an indiscreet manner,” Venkatesh, a driver said disapprovingly.

Association president Pradeep is peeved at not diverting rainwater into the storm water drain after construction of the bridge. The roads have not been asphalted for the last 11 years and the BBMP had promised to carry work the along with the bridge construction. “The assurance has not been honoured,” he alleged, pointing to pothole-ridden road.
According to Chief Engineer of Storm Water Drain, BBMP, Prabhakar Kini, the shelter was constructed under the MLC fund allotted to member R V Ventatesh. He said the shelter had been removed by his partymen at the member’s instruction and would be rebuilt
shortly.