Citizens in a tizzy over bus shelters

Even as the APSRTC and GHMC battle it out for the maintenance of bus shelters, the shelters at bus stops in different parts of the city are conspicuous by their absence

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) are caught in a tiff on the upkeep of bus bays in the twin cities. Caught in the tiff are the citizens who are peeved at the lack of bus shelters in the city. Firstly, the APSRTC is of the opinion that it is capable of maintaining the bus shelters and requisitioned the GHMC on the issue. Venkateshwar Reddy, chief commercial manager, APSRTC, says, “In the past, the RTC had maintained the bus shelters. We have the infrastructure and the manpower to do so.

Stating that the bus shelters are on the roads that come under GHMC property, the corporation took control of bus shelters.” The civic body has now identified 150 locations to construct bus shelters on its own. In the past, the corporation built bus shelters under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. S Harikrishna, additional commissioner (revenue), said, “The design for the bus shelters is in its final stage and the GHMC would be constructing the bus shelters.

All the shelters would be built in a uniform manner.” “The RTC had requested the GHMC to construct 1,162 bus shelters. More than 500 locations are still pending,” says Vijayalaxmi, assistant zonal manager, Greater Hyderabad, APSRTC. While there is a need for new bus shelters across the city, the corporation has identified only 150 locations. With the summer about to set in there are several places in the city where bus shelters are non-existent. For instance, there isn’t a bus shelter at Neredmet junction in Secunderabad.

Madhulika, a college student, says, “We have to wait in the scorching sun. This junction is important as people from Sainikpuri, Vivekanandapuram and Neredmet come here to board buses.” Pushcarts and Chinese food stalls have taken over the bus bays in several places. In Ameerpet near Big Bazaar, people have no place to stand; same is the case opposite NIMS and Lakdikapul.

The civic body has been planning for comfortable seating besides provision for allowing electronic streaming of bus timing and routes. Rekha Rao, a social activist, says, “Leave alone electronic streaming and linking GPS system of shelters, if the corporation can construct enough bus shelters with basic facilities it would be enough.” A senior RTC official says that the GHMC does not want to part with the bus shelters as it gets good income through advertisements.

T P VENU