Not Smart! Constructing Too Many Bus Shelters When Hardly Any Commuters Uses Them?

By
Alfie Dsouza, Team Mangalorean.
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Not Smart! Constructing Too Many Bus Shelters When Hardly Any Commuters Uses Them?

by Alfie D’souza- Team Mangalorean

Mangaluru : If you go around the so called “SMART CITY”, you’ll notice that wherever there is a need of a Bus Shelter, there is none-however, looking at the SMARTNESS of our so called Engineers and Contractors, there are a few places, you’ll find Three or Two Bus Shelters nearby to each other- and the funny part is that Commuters have a wide choice as to which bus shelter to use? Crazy but true- and that is the stupidity of the the Smart City Development Project officials. Though many bus shelters were razed down as part of the road- widening works in the City, authorities are mum on the issue. Even after the road widening work is complete, they don’t have the courtesy to replace the demolished bus shelter with a new one- similar was the case of the bus shelter near St Agnes College, Bendore-Mangaluru, which was knocked down for road widening- and was not replaced back. But after many protests and complaints raised on the same, MCC finally constructed a Smart Bus Shelter, which is not Smart at all? Yet another, bus shelter was knocked down near Gerosa High school for road widening, but after the road was done, no bus shelter has been put back.

A Not-So-Smart Make-Shift Bus Shelter near Nanthoor Junction &…………

And then in yet another incident, where a existing bus shelter was removed for road widening near Nanthoor ( on the way from Kadri Road towards Bikarnakatte/KPT) and even though the road widening is completed, the authorities have not reconstructed the bus shelter, thereby leaving the young and the old waiting to catch their bus standing under scorching sun, and recently when the monsoon started, just for name sake, the authorities have constructed a make-shift bus shelter, with aluminium sheets as roof-top supported on two to three steel pillars. Wow- great job by the Smart Crew of the Smart City! Is this what Smart city Development is all about- putting the commuters in inconvenience and hardships.

……………………And a Bus Shelter built by NHAI near Nanthoor Junction is not being used by Commuters?

Yes, our city has AC buses going towards Udupi/Manipal, many widened new roads and improved traffic systems. But all is not well for those who wait for public transport in the city. Sun or rain, the commuters have to brave it out as major bus stops here lack bus shelters. Diminishing the importance of pedestrian safety measures and widened roads, people wait on roadsides and footpaths for buses. And hundreds of commuters travelling to their respective destinations are forced to stand under the scorching sun, and now rains, in quite a few locations in the City. Repeated requests, citizens say, have fallen on deaf ears.

A Smart Bus Shelter constructed very next to a existing Bus Shelter in Neermarga, which no one uses it, because…..

On the other hand, as part of Smart City Development Project, a bunch of Smart Bus Shelters are being constructed, and that too near existing old bus shelters-for example- across from Padau nSchool/College, even though two bus shelters already exist, a Smart Bus Shelter is getting ready to open soon- and the funny part will be that no one will use this Smart bus shelter, because everyone is using the one right in front of the institution. And the old bus shelter which is right next to the upcoming Smart Bus shelter is being used by homeless, stray dogs- and a man who sells pottery nearby has made it his Shelter home, for Cooking and Sleeping (see pic in the article). How Smart our Officials of Smart City could be in implementing such projects which are not utilized by commuters.

…..City buses stop away from the Bus shelters where People wait?

Yet another Smart Bus Shelter constructed is near a existing bus shelter near Neermarga- and hardly anyone is using it because there is no proper to enter that bus shelter- and also that no one uses either one of these bus shelters, since people still stand near the entrance of a street a few meters away from these two shelters, and all the city buses stop there. What a waste of money? Just because there is enough money sanctioned for Smart City Development, you don’t spend it on projects which are useless. Another bus shelter constructed by NH authority near Nanthoor, hardly anyone is seen using it- since most of the commuters are seen waiting for their respective buses at the make-shift bus shelter, a few meters away from this NH Bus shelter.

A Smart Bus Shelter being constructed near the existing bus shelter near Padua Institution

This ‘Smart Man’ who sells pottery has made the NH Bus Shelter as His New Home for Cooking & Sleeping?

Travelling in a City bus in the city may not be a pleasant experience for many. But, it pales in comparison to the inconvenience commuters waiting for buses are subjected to, and more than that waiting for the bus in sun/rain with no bus shelter. Lack of pedestrian access, the need to stand on roads to wait for a bus and high accident risk are some of the problems often cited by passengers. The lack of bus shelter near Nanthoor has added safety concerns to their woes. Where bus shelters are really needed where commuters wait for their buses, there are no bus shelters- but where there are no commuters, bus shelters exist? What a joke and what a waste of tax payers money? The traffic police are supposed to authorize the citing of the shelters based on these guidelines, but this is not followed.

This is the Third Bus Shelter near Padua Institution which is frequently used by Commuters

Sources also reveal that the bus shelters can be constructed only after the completion of roads and footpaths. Involvement of various government agencies is needed for the construction of bus shelters. It will take time. Wow- that means, it will take another few months or years before a new bus shelter takes birth at this Nanthoor location. And if no bus shelter comes up before the next MCC elections, don’t vote for the candidate who never took action on this issue- and for putting you in hardship and inconveniences with no bus shelter.

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