Poorly maintained bus shelters a worry as summer approaches

CHENNAI: As the summer is slowly setting on us in Chennai, there is an urgent need to have proper bus shelters for the daily commuters.

Will the existing and damaged shelters of bus stops get rectified any time soon is a million-dollar question.

Improper bus stops without necessary infrastructural facilities are in huge numbers across the city.

The broken shelters, seats that are either low or high, and broken pavements that are left without repair after electricity or stormwater drain works are a common sight wherever bus stands are situated in the city.

For example, the bus stop in Annai EVR Maniammaiyar Salai, Egmore has been in an untidy condition for a long time. Garbage has been gathered around the area causing trouble for the commuters.

“The area is very unhygienic and the seats are dirty forcing us to stand all the time until the bus arrives,” said a commuter.

“The area is also being made dirty by the homeless people who sleep under the shelters in the bus stop at night. They leave things that make the area dirty,” said Vasu, a worker nearby. Most of the time the bus stop is occupied by these people who sleep on the seats and the travellers are forced to stand outside.

The bus stop is also used for open urination by the nearby vendors and the bus drivers passing through the area also relieve themselves at the place.

The pavement near to the bus stop is also in broken condition risking the pedestrians who walk through the area.

When contacted ward member Fathima Muzaffer Ahmed mentioned that the issue would be looked upon soon.