Commuters encounter broken benches, litter at bus stops in Bengaluru
Since the introduction of the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women passengers, Karnataka has seen an increase in ridership, but various issues, like the low frequency of buses in certain areas and the condition and distribution of bus stops across Bengaluru, have made accessing public transport a hassle.
The issue has affected the city's students, too, many of whom depend on buses as their sole means of transportation. 'The Vasanth Nagar bus stop is built right next to an open drain, making it difficult to stand and wait for a bus there. Most people don't even stand there because of the smell and the proximity to the drain,' says Ananya, a fourth-year student of Mount Carmel College.
Many, tired after a long day, are forced to deal with broken seats, garbage scattered all around, and inconsistent stoppage by BMTC buses.
Rajarshi, a 14-year-old student, says, ''At my place in Puttenahalli, BMTC drivers stop at the bus stop at their convenience. The bus stop is mostly surrounded by trash, even early in the morning. Garbage trucks dump the waste right there.'
Locating bus stops
Many bus shelters in Bengaluru face the issue of having little to no infrastructure, with crowds gathering at spots where they expect buses to halt.
Preeti Mishra, a 49-year-old yoga instructor, suffers because of this daily, saying, 'We have to look at a crowd that has gathered and assume that's the bus stop. At Old Town, I have to catch the bus at the signal. It's the same at Santhe Circle as well.'
Rajarshi said that a first-time commuter could experience extreme difficulty due to these untraceable bus stops, which are further complicated by several bus stops sharing the same name. 'There are three Puttenahalli's and 10 Dairy Circles. We need to be able to locate bus stops. We end up going to the wrong ones because they aren't updated on Google Maps.'
Sarah R., a human resources professional, says that south Bengaluru has better bus stops in general because of better planning and well-marked lanes for pedestrians, public transport users, and private vehicles. She further adds that places like Whitefield, since it's constantly developing and focuses on the metro, fail to account for bus commuters.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) maintains approximately 8,500 bus shelters in the city. A senior BBMP official, in response to questions on poor condition of bus shelters in Bengaluru, said that the BBMP is not directly responsible for either the maintenance or construction of bus stops in the city, but rather entrusts it to three separate agencies.
On areas that lack infrastructure, he said, 'We don't build bus stops unless people make a formal request to either us or the BMTC.' He further explains that areas which are currently undergoing metro construction may have to wait until completion of metro work to remedy their concerns.
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