
Shortage of bus shelters strains commuters
For people travelling in a car, bus stops are just another space for flashy hoardings hence the availability or shortage of facilities would rarely be a concern. But for people travelling daily through public transport, the little box at the edge of the road can turn into a death trap during the summer heat.
Although the Punjab Transport Company has initiated a plan to construct modern bus shelters with a budget of Rs16 million, both experts and citizens agree that these efforts are far too limited and slow-moving to meet the needs of a mega city like Lahore.
According to the Punjab Transport Company (PTC), there are only 194 proper bus shelters across the city, with an additional 600 temporary stops (flag posts). Many of these shelters have limited seating capacity. Commuters in busy areas like Allama Iqbal Road, Egerton Road, Circular Road, and various sections of GT Road often complain about the lack or complete absence of shelters.
One passenger lamented that people were forced to stand under the sun or rain, often having to take refuge in nearby shops. A young commuter, Fahad complained that even the Metro Bus waiting area had no roof for shielding passengers from the heat. Similarly, Muhammad Irfan, a resident of Shahdara, disclosed that the shelters lacked seating, were dirty, and had advertisement boards that further restricted passenger space.
Fatima Batool, a daily commuter from Mughalpura to Model Town, revealed that she often had to wait for buses under the sun, and even when there was a shelter, it was so small that only a few people could fit inside. Likewise, Ayesha Nawaz, a student from Model Town, complained that in many areas, it was not even clear where the bus would stop. 'Shelters should at least offer drinking water, lighting, and secure waiting areas for women,' said Nawaz.
According to urban planners, a city like Lahore needs more bus shelters to protect commuters from extreme weather and to manage heavy passenger loads. An official from the Punjab Transport Authority confirmed that even today, Lahore urgently needed 1,200 to 1,500 new bus stop shelters. Experts believe that the growing population and increasing number of vehicles have put immense pressure on urban infrastructure, yet no comprehensive planning has been seen to improve the number and quality of bus shelters.
Dr Obaidullah Nadeem, Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore, explained that when building shelters, it was essential to consider the location, traffic flow, and passenger volume.
'Shelters should be constructed slightly away from the road so that when a bus stops, it doesn't disrupt regular traffic. Modern shelters should include solar-powered lighting, digital timetables, and strong roofing to protect commuters from extreme weather. Even if not digital, there should be clear displays to help guide passengers on route information,' suggested Dr Nadeem.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for the Punjab Transport Company, claimed that the government had not only improved existing shelters but also had plans to build 200 more bus shelters in the upcoming fiscal year. Among them, 50 will be constructed with a modern design, featuring separate waiting areas for men and women, a small tuck shop and Wi-Fi facilities.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Morning Bid: Fizzy market week turns flat
By Mike Dolan LONDON (Reuters) - What matters in U.S. and global markets today By Mike Dolan, Editor-At-Large, Finance and Markets A buoyant week for world markets driven by emerging U.S. trade deals with major economies has gone a bit flat into Friday, with the corporate earnings season throwing up a series of high profile disappointments. The interest rate backdrop also turned a shade darker, with the European Central Bank holding its 2% rate steady as expected but with some officials signalling that the bar was high for further easing. Federal Reserve rate cut expectations also continued to tick lower despite relentless political pressure, with futures markets now pricing in just 42 basis points of additional easing this year. * The S&P 500 and Nasdaq eked out marginal gains to new records on Thursday, with Alphabet leading the way after its earnings beat. But Tesla's troubles continued, as it dropped more than 8%. Meanwhile, IBM clocked an 8% earnings day drop, American Airlines fell 10% and Honeywell was off 6%. UnitedHealth lost 5% after a probe into its Medicare practises, and Intel lost 5% overnight on its update. Wall Street futures were flat ahead of Friday's bell. * The European earnings season was also pockmarked with some negative reactions to corporate updates, with shares in German sportswear maker Puma sliding 15% on Friday and French car parts maker Valeo down 9% as both cut full-year outlooks. European stock indexes were down about 0.5%. A rebound in British retail sales last month came in below forecasts too. * A packed diary next week includes the August 1 U.S. tariff deadline, Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan meetings, key U.S. labor market updates, megacap earnings and a heavy Treasury debt auction schedule. Treasury yields were steady to a bit higher on Friday and the dollar nudged up too. Market Minute * Investors cashed out of highly valued global stocks on Friday and the dollar headed for its biggest weekly drop in a month ahead of a crucial week for markets that includes Donald Trump's tariff deadline and key central bank meetings. * U.S. President Donald Trump's trade deal with Tokyo opens scope for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates again this year, sources say, a prospect the central bank may start to telegraph by offering a less gloomy view on the economic outlook. * South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday and reaffirmed a commitment to reach a deal on tariffs by the August 1 deadline, South Korea's industry ministry said on Friday. * The optimism sweeping world stock markets following news of emerging and expected U.S. trade deals is undeniable and understandable. But, writes ROI markets columnist Jamie McGeever, it is also puzzling. * U.S. President Donald Trump sprang a double surprise on the copper market when he announced import tariffs of 50% effective next month. ROI metals columnist Andy Home notes that the market was betting on a different outcome. Weekend reads * GEN AI AND PRODUCTIVITY: The Generative AI boom shows encouraging signs of raising the productivity level of the wider economy, according to a Federal Reserve Board discussion paper. But the researchers conclude that GenAI's contribution to productivity growth will depend on the speed with which its benefits are obtained, and notes that historically it takes time for revolutionary technologies to be integrated into the economy. * SUBNATIONAL DEBTS: Debates about debt sustainability often only focus only on "sovereign" or central government balances and ignore a complex, growing role of subnational governments. In a piece on CEPR's VoxEU site, economists Sean Dougherty, Acaua Brochado and Pietrangelo de Biase point out how subnational government accounts for nearly 40% of public investment and more than a quarter of public spending. They argue these entities face tighter borrowing conditions, increasing investment responsibilities and market structures that often fail to price risk accurately. Left unaddressed, these dynamics could undermine both macro stability and government priorities. * DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY: Europe's systemic dependency on Big Tech's social-media platforms threatens the continent's digital sovereignty as policymakers argue there's little alternative. But, as developer Sebastian Vogelsang argues on Project Syndicate this week, this ignores the potential for building apps on open-source frameworks like the AT Protocol, the foundation for Bluesky. * 'SPY COCKROACHES'?: For Gundbert Scherf - the co-founder of Germany's Helsing, Europe's most valuable defence start-up - Russia's invasion of Ukraine changed everything. As Reuters' Supantha Mukherjee, Sarah Marsh and Christoph Steitz report, the Munich-based company more than doubled its valuation to $12 billion at a fundraising last month. Scherf - a former partner at McKinsey - says Europe may be on the cusp of a transformation in defence innovation akin to the Manhattan Project. * SYRIA'S ECONOMICS: A Reuters investigation found that Syria's new leadership is secretly restructuring an economy broken by corruption and years of sanctions against Assad's government, under the auspices of a group of men whose identities have until now been concealed under pseudonyms. Away from public scrutiny, the committee obtained assets worth more than $1.6 billion. That tally is based on accounts of people familiar with its deals to acquire business stakes and cash seizures, including at least $1.5 billion in assets taken from three businessmen and firms in a conglomerate once controlled by Assad's inner circle. Chart of the day With Fed policy under a microscope, attention switches to the labor market next week - culminating in the release of the national employment report on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters expect the economy added 102,000 non-farm payrolls this month - which would be the lowest monthly tally since February. However, the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday showed jobless claims last week fell to 217,000 - well below estimates - signaling continued resilience in the job market. Today's events to watch * U.S. June durable goods orders (8:30 AM EDT) * U.S. corporate earnings: Aon, HCA Healthcare, Charter Communications, Phillips 66, Centene * South Korea's Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington * U.S. President Donald Trump makes private visit to Scotland -- Want to receive the Morning Bid in your inbox every weekday morning? Sign up for the newsletter here. You can find ROI on the Reuters website, and you can follow us on LinkedIn Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias. (by Mike Dolan; editing by) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mom of 3 POV: Being a Parent Makes Me a Better Person but a Worse Friend
Look, I'm not here to argue that having kids makes you a better person. I don't really believe that. But what I can say from my own experience is that once I had a kid, I started caring more deeply about the world that I was raising them in. Suddenly, my recycling bin was always full, I inspected food labels for things like palm oil and carbon footprint, and I am currently researching the logistics of contributing to the neighborhood compost. Should I have been doing those things anyway? Of course. But something about having children laser focused my sense of responsibility. Their world became the world. And I'm not just thinking about the planet. I'm also more cognizant of being kind and decent to others. Pre-kids, I might have snapped when someone cut me off on the highway. But knowing that those little ears in the backseat are absorbing every word I say, I practice empathy instead ('Maybe they're just in a rush…'). But if parenting has made me better in some ways, it's also made me worse—especially in one area I never anticipated: friendship. There's a lot of talk about how your relationship with your partner changes after kids, but what about with your friends? Before I had children, I talked to my friends all the time. Text threads, spontaneous calls, meetups after work… maintaining connection was easy. Now, even when I miraculously find a spare 30 minutes, I rarely use it to reach out. Why? Because I've convinced myself it will take too much energy. (Spoiler: It won't.) And even when I do talk to friends, I often find myself mostly talking about my kids! I hear myself yammering on about sleep schedules and soccer signups and I can't help but wonder: Who is this person? Where did the interesting parts of me go? I don't have a perfect solution to this dilemma. But I've started sticking to a few self-imposed rules to help me be a slightly better friend (even if it takes me three days to respond to a text). Show up for the big stuff. You may go weeks without talking, but if your best friend's mom is sick or their marriage is falling apart, be there. When my best friend needed me during a family crisis, I dropped everything and showed up. And guess what? My kids were fine. She needed me more. Remember this is a season. Like all parenting phases, this one is temporary. Real friends will still be there when it gets easier. And it will get easier. Try the 'First Sunday Rule.' On the first Sunday of each month, I make a point to reach out to someone I've lost touch with. No need for an hour-long catch up. In fact, it can be as simple as a 'thinking of you' text. Just a little something to keep the thread from completely unraveling. Fill your own cup. It's a cliche but it's true—you can't give to others when you're running on empty. I may not have the luxury of a full self-care day but at least for me, a little sleep, hydration and maybe a hot (uninterrupted!) shower can go a long way. The truth is that parenting has made me a better person. I'm more empathetic and intentional after having kids. But it's also made me more distracted and less available to my friends. I'm learning to accept both of these realities… and trying to show up anyway. Mom of 3 POV: Summer Is the WORST Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
TSX futures slip as investors await tariff deadline, trade updates
(Reuters) -Futures tied to Canada's main stock index slipped on Friday, mirroring global markets, as investors awaited trade developments ahead of President Donald Trump's tariff deadline next week. Futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 0.2% at 1,625.4 points by 06:55 a.m. ET (1055 GMT). Canada' main stock index edged lower on Thursday but was holding close to a record high. Global equities fell on Friday as investors booked profits ahead of a critical week that includes the August 1 tariff deadline. Markets are watching closely, hoping the United States will hold off on imposing steep import levies. This week, sentiment was buoyed by U.S. trade agreements with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Meanwhile, negotiations continue with the European Union and South Korea, where hopes for additional deals remain. In commodities, gold prices slipped and copper eased, and oil prices were stable on Friday. Looking ahead, investor focus will shift to several key events next week, including policy decisions from the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve, as well as earnings reports from several of the so-called 'Magnificent Seven' tech companies. FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES: TSX market report [.TO] Canadian dollar and bonds report [CAD/] [CA/] Reuters global stocks poll for Canada Canadian markets directory ($1= C${CAD=;PRIMACT_1})