Pathetic & Stinking Rs 4.2 Crore Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL)Renovated State Bank Service Bus Stand Cleaned by Ramakrishna Mission/Math by Volunteers under the Swachh Mangaluru Campaign
Mangaluru: On 28 January 2024 Team Mangalorean highlighted the Pathetic, Stinking, Unscientific Rs 4.2 Crore Renovated Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) State Bank Service Bus Stand which was in SHAMBLES and posing Hardship to Commuters-With No Seating arrangements; No proper Toilets/Restrooms; No Proper Eatery Places; Garbage/filth scattered all around posing health hazards to the commuters waiting for their buses, among many basic facilities that are lacking.
It should be noted that MLA Vedavyas Kamath, MCC Mayor Sudheer Shetty, and MCC Commissioner CL Anand among other City officials visited the bus stand on 26 October 2023, and MLA assured that all the facilities and development work that is needed will be taken up soon and that he has asked MSCL to provide roofing, seating, and other necessary facilities at the platforms. But unfortunately, no action was taken, until the Volunteers of Ramakrishna Math had to take the initiative, at least to clean the surroundings and open urinal areas nearby.
File Photo 26 October 2023: MLA Kamath making assurances of rectifying the pathetic state of the Bus Stand??
BEFORE CLEAN UP….
With thousands of passengers using this bus stand, and only a few toilets for men and women, you see men including the bus crew urinating against the wall facing the bus stand- and the area stinks, giving scope for mosquito breeding. Also regarding the pay-to-use toilet, where you pay rs 2 for urinals and Rs 5 for Pooping – and only 5 spaces were provided for urinals and 5 for pooping- can you believe having such a small toilet facility where thousands of commuters, along with bus drivers and conductors are using the bus stand daily. Due to this, one can see men urinating along the stretch of the wall very adjacent to the bus stand- and the whole area has an unbearable stink. And without any hesitation, these volunteers on Sunday, cleaned the area and painted the walls white, soon to have murals on it. They also cleaned the pile of trash near the bus stand.
Poor maintenance in keeping the bus stand tidy had gone for a toss, with garbage/leftover food etc being scattered around. The question arises whether the concerned administration if taking up development works, will effectively maintain the service bus stand. The current state of footpaths, post-urination, highlights the need for officials to go the extra mile in ensuring proper maintenance after development.
AFTER CLEAN UP …. 
However, on Sunday 11 February, the Volunteers under the Swachh Mangalurucampaign of Ramakrishna Mission cleaned the surroundings of the State Bank Bus Terminal during the 5th month’s campaign, in Mangaluru. Now, this bus terminal area that was stinking of garbage and the retaining wall of Nehru Park abutting the terminal that had become a public urinal adorned a fresh look as volunteers gave an extreme make-over to the shabby conditions. Though Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. did attempt to renovate the bus terminal with new passenger shelters and bays, the area lacked cleanliness. The about 200 metre-long retaining wall had become a public urinal even as parked buses adjacent to it offered people cover from the public gaze.
The exit of the bus terminal too had been stinking of urine and other wastes. Launching the campaign, CREDAI Mangaluru President Vinod Pinto said such campaigns should start from every house. Ramakrishna Mutt president Swami Jithakamananda, Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur, MRPL Chief General Manager Manoj Kumar, former MLC, Capt. Ganesh Karnik and others were present on the occasion. Professors of Nitte Physiotherapy College, Purushottam, Neha Shetty, and Nityal Kumar led the group of students in removing the illegal banners at the terminal and clearing the pile of trash. Senior volunteers Vittaldas Prabhu, Mehboob, Avinash, Satyanarayana K.V., Shivaram, Balakrishna Bhat, Aniruddha Nayak, and others cleaned the footpaths and cleared the drains off piles of garbage.
Temporary illegal shelters that were posing difficulties to passengers were removed by volunteers Umanath Kotekar, Vasanthi Nayak, Rajeev Chandrashekar, Sunanda Shivaram, Nagesh Saripalla, Kiran Fernandes, Taranath Alva and others. The Retaining wall that had become an eyesore was cleaned with water from a tanker by Sowraj and Balakrishna Bhat. Later, volunteers Kamalaksha Pai, Sadananda, Mukesh Alva, Tanishk, Babitha Shetty, Prakash S.T., Shoyil, Kedar, Naitik Shetty, and students of A.J. Engineering College gave a white paint coat to the wall. Volunteers would do artwork on the wall in the coming days.
What a shame that Smart City Mangaluru had to be also cleaned by the Students of the University of Santo Tomas from the Philippines who were visiting Nitte University under professor Charles Nermal — Kariz Angel, Jaizle Reyes and Joshua Mendres participated in the Shramadan.
Photo Album
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