Two bus stops near Kalyan railway station turn into hawkers’ zones

Citizens of Kalyan have complained that two bus stops at Ambedkar road near the railway station have turned into hawking zones and seating areas for passersby, leading

Citizens of Kalyan have complained that two bus stops at Ambedkar road near the railway station have turned into hawking zones and seating areas for passersby, leading to more congestion on the road.

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Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Transport (KDMT) buses do not halt at the stops as the transport body had built these stops so that they can be used in the future. “The two bus stops were built two years ago so that they may be useful if the bus routes are diverted from Deepak Hotel towards Shivaji Chowk,” said Maruti Khodake, in-charge of KDMT, Kalyan.

KDMT officials, however, did not disclose the amount spent on constructing these two bus stops. “The bus stops were erected from the funding obtained from a private body on the basis of advertisements placed on the stops,” added Khodake.

Commuters complain that bikes and autorickshaws have started parking near the stops, leading to more congestion on the narrow Ambedkar road.

“The area around the bus stops is often encroached by hawkers and autorickshaws, making the road more congested,” said Pratik Sawant, 28, a commuter from Beturkar Pada, Kalyan.

“The stops on the road, which are near the skywalk and Deepak Hotel, do not fall under any route of KDMT buses. Nevertheless, the KDMT has built these bus stops, which have now turned into hawkers’ zones, adding to the woes of motorists,” said Shrikant Wable, 34, a resident of Khadakpada.