Encroached bus queue shelters in Gurugram forces commuters to stand on road

Commuters alleged that majority of the shelters have not been maintained making it tough for them to use these infrastructures.

Commuters across the city have no space to wait for public transport buses as majority of the queue shelters are either encroached or damaged rendering them unable.

The shelters have damaged seats, tiles, broken or stolen metal fences and muddy sidewalks, said residents.

Commuters alleged that majority of the shelters of Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) have not been maintained due to which they have either damaged seats, tiles, broken or stolen metal fences and muddy sidewalks making it tough for them to use these infrastructures.

According to commuters, several of the places like Sector 9-9A main road, outside ESI Hospital, and near the railway station in Old Gurugram, the area around these shelters are either filled with garbage or are used as parking bays for trucks, private cars and even garbage carrying vehicles of private firms working for the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG).

Sandeep Kataria, a Basai Enclave residents’ welfare association (RWA) member, said residents avoid using these shelters due to foul smell.

“We are forced to stand roadside which is extremely risky. The GMCBL buses also stop there. Crores of taxpayers’ money was spent on constructing these shelters in old and new Gurugram. Still, we are forced to board the buses from roads,” said Kataria.

“We only get assurance that these shelters will be repaired after waterlogging ends whenever we complain to the authorities but the situation remains the same round the year,” he added.

Rajan Sagar, Palam Vihar RWA president said that even though the newly constructed bus queue shelters are working fine, they still are unhygienic and need periodic maintenance which is actually not taking place.

Rohtash Chander Bishnoi, manager administration, GMCBL, said that based on the large-scale complaints related to the shelters, they have conducted an inspection across the city to identify the shelters which are damaged or are unusable due to unhygienic surroundings.

“We shared the inspection report with the private firm responsible for the maintenance of these shelters. They will soon take necessary action to make all of them usable for the safety and comfort of our commuters,” said Bishnoi, adding that they were also monitoring the developments made by this firm.

A senior MCG official said they were working with GMCBL to resolve the garbage problem at various queue shelters.

In 2022, the GMCBL entered into a contract with a private agency to handle advertising and maintenance of the bus queue shelters. Officials said they will also take stern measures to stop roadside vendors from encroaching these shelters and footpaths around them.