Most city bus shelters lie unused

Patna: The modern bus shelters constructed across the city are virtually lying abandoned, with few commuters using them. This is true of all the 117 shelters constructed right from Bailey Road, Boring Road, Patna-Digha-Danapur Road, Kurji Road, Hardinge Road and Kankerbagh Road. A few months back, CM Nitish Kumar had flagged off 140 new buses of the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) to boost public transport in four districts of the state.Out of them, 70 buses ply on the city roads every day, said BSRTC divisional manager Arvind Kumar Singh here on Friday. Many private city buses also ply in the city and are popular as their fare is half of the auto fare.
“Despite so many buses plying in the city, there are no fixed stoppages for them. Most buses, both public and private, stop haphazardly on every route, which often leads to traffic jams. The commuters too board the buses anywhere they feel like. None uses the bus shelters constructed to wait for the buses,” said a resident of Boring Road locality, Uday Kumar.
“Generally, the bust stop near Kurji Mor is used by fish sellers and street vendors. In the afternoon, the shelter is used by beggars and stray dogs for sleeping. Many a time, tired vendors take siesta at the stop,” said a Kurji resident, Santosh Pal.
Some shelters on the Danapur-Digha Road have broken railings and are used by passers-by or youths of the locality to spend their evenings gossiping and playing cards. Vegetable vendors too use the space to sell vegetables in morning hours.
“A bus stop near Patna Women’s College on Bailey Road is used by a tea vendor and a tailor. Isn’t it something unheard of in a metro city?,” said a PWC student, Priti Lal.
Neeraj Gupta, a daily commuter on Ashok Rajpath, said, “I don’t understand why the district administration is not taking care of these bus stops. They are in such a deplorable condition.”
“The new bus shelters were constructed with a view to increasing commuter safety and comfort before they board buses. But commuters hardly use them and most of them have been encroached and are at times occupied by antisocial elements also,” said a Patna high court lawyer, Ashok Pathak.