Not Smart! Having a Bus Shelter on Only One side of the Road Opp to St Agnes College
Mangaluru: Having a full-fledged Bus shelter on ONLY ONE side of the road going from Bendore-well towards Kadri, it seems like that no buses nor commuters travel on other side of the road going from Kadri towards Bendore-Well. Every week during the Police Commissioner T R Suresh phone-in programme there is always someone complaining about the missing bus shelter near St Agnes College-Mangaluru, which has been causing lots of inconveniences/hardship to the commuters, including the college students who have to wait for their buses in scorching heat during Summer, and drench in heavy downpour during monsoons season. These complaining citizens are not the only ones who are facing the brunt of not having a bus shelter, but there are a few other hundred citizens, including STUDENTS who are also facing hardships in the absence of a bus shelter.
Where is the Bus Shelter?
A nice bus shelter did exist for decades, which was once well cleaned and painted neat by the volunteers of Ramakrishna Mission ‘Swachh Bharath Campaign’- and few weeks later it was completely demolished to make way for a new entrance gate of St Agnes Institutions-Mangaluru. Even though a nice gate was constructed and finished couple of years ago, but no one until now has bothered to reconstruct a bus shelter of the same standard at the original place. A make-shift bus shelter was built a few feet away from the college entrance gate few months ago, which looked like a cow-shed, and when no one used it other than stray animals, it was torn down and shifted.
But the College management is reluctant to allow the MCC to build a nice full-fledged bus shelter in front of the institution, assuming that it would block the view of the centenary gate/wall. Hello, a bus shelter is much more important than a freaking gate or a Centenary Monument wall? On the other hand, as per a member of MCC Civic Group when they had met the Principal of the College she had alleged that as per law no bus shelter should exist right in front of an institution, and by having a bus shelter close to the college entrance gate, will result in accidents and also hectic for students to cross the road at the same spot.
Okay well said by the Principal, which is far from true? Earlier there was a bus shelter right in front of the college for decades, and no accidents or any other safety hazard has been caused to the students. This is nothing but to avoid the bus shelter in blocking the view of the centenary gate/wall. On the other hand, MCC is pampering and giving a face-lift to the bus shelter on the other side of the College road, and couple of days ago workers were installing new tiles/flooring. Seem like commuters traveling from St Agnes College-Bendore towards Kadri and further have a comfortable bus shelter, while those traveling from St Agnes College -Bendore towards Kankanady and further, will have to stand in the hot sun or drench when it rains. Bah humbug.
But it is learnt that the MCC has plans to build a Smart Bus Shelter in the nearest future near St Agnes College- but will it be constructed at a right spot where it could be utilized by the citizens and students, is something to be looked at. Because we have seen in the past, there is absolutely no planning or policy when it comes to the number of bus shelters to be built at a particular point as some important bus stops in the city, resulting in the bus drivers stopping according to their whims and fancies. In fact, there are no shelters at all in most of the bus stops in the newly added wards. There cannot be a worse hardship, a commuter can face while waiting for a bus for a long time.
In conclusion, all I have to say is that a new and better bus shelter is the need of the hour near St Agnes College-Bendore, and not an inferior bus shelter, where chances are that it will be used for illegal activities, also four-legged animals like stray dogs and cows will use it for their shelter. Better late than never a new bus shelter like a the one which still exists across from the College should be moved closer to the college gate, where there is enough empty space which will be convenient and useful for the students and general public or the concerned authorities should educate or strictly urge the bus drivers to stop in front of this new bus shelter.
Better late than never-before this new Smart Bus Shelter comes up, the authorities should think twice whether it would serve the purpose, and not construct a Bus shelter at a place not convenient for the commuters. Please don’t waste taxpayers money on bus shelters which don’t serve the purpose. Oh well- let’s wait and see, what action will the MCC take for the convenience of the commuters relying on public transport? Commuters are desperately seeking a BETTER BUS SHELTER near St Agnes Institution?
Also Read Related Articles:
- Beke Beku, Bus Shelter Beku! Citizens demand for a Bus Shelter near St Agnes
- Need a ‘Better Bus Shelter’ at ‘Better Spot’ Near St Agnes College
- The Incredible ‘Shifting & Shrinking’ Bus Shelter near St Agnes College?