Bengaluru: Commuters face difficulties due to damaged bus shelters
Bus shelters along the busy ITPL corridor, which caters to thousands of tech professionals every day, are in a state of neglect even as demand for more buses continues to grow. A 600-metre stretch on ITPL Main Road, starting from Kundalahalli Colony, has three shelters serving hundreds of commuters daily, but most are in poor condition.
During a field visit, the Kundalahalli Colony bus stop was found with its metal seat frames lying unattended on the ground. Just 400 metres away, the shelter next to Prestige Technostar Tech Park had no seats, while its panels were covered with spider webs and advertisement billboards, discouraging commuters from using it.
Commuters bear the brunt
For daily travellers, especially during peak hours and rains, the situation has become increasingly difficult. “I’ve been commuting from this bus stop for the last four to five months, and the condition has remained the same. Even though there is another stop nearby, it becomes crowded during peak hours. This shelter can withstand rain, but the other one has almost collapsed,” said Yathish Sai, a PU college student.
Although there is a twin bus shelter in the vicinity, commuters argue that it does not adequately meet the demand during rush hours, forcing many to stand exposed to sun and rain.
Widespread problem in Whitefield
Residents and civic activists point out that the condition of bus shelters along ITPL Main Road and Whitefield is either similar or worse. The Whitefield Rising civic group recently conducted an audit of bus stops in the area, highlighting several instances of poor upkeep.
“BMTC operates the buses, but the shelters are owned and maintained by BBMP. All the civic body needs to do is send a notice to contractors responsible for maintenance and conduct regular checks. In some cases, contracts for maintaining these shelters are not even renewed,” said Anjali Saini, a member of Whitefield Rising.
BBMP response
Acknowledging the issue, officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said action would be taken soon. “We will definitely look into it and direct the agency to undertake repair work immediately,” a BBMP engineer in charge of the area said.
Conclusion
With thousands of techies, students, and local residents depending on public transport along the ITPL corridor, the lack of proper bus shelter infrastructure continues to be a major inconvenience. Commuters and civic groups are calling for urgent action to ensure safe, clean, and usable bus stops in the area.