Social activists as well as members of tempo and autorickshaw unions staged a candlelight protest at Regal Talkies square against the authorities’ failure to obtain the necessary clearances before deciding to close the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) to other forms of public transport.
Gathered in a small knot fronting Mahatma Gandhi’s statue, the protestors also charged that closing the corridor would cause untold misery to people coming from Bhopal, Khandwa and other cities.“Somebody coming from Bhopal will have to get off at Bombay Hospital and then use a private vehicle if he wants to travel further on along AB Road,” said activist Kishore Kodwani.
He alleged that the Navlakha, Gangwal and Sarwate bus stands were being closed posthaste simply so that the ibuses could rustle up the 35,000 passengers targeted by authorities.
The protestors also slammed the district administration and the Atal Indore City Transport Services Limited (AICTSL) for deciding to close the BRTS pilot corridor on AB Road without seeking the approval of the state-level steering and monitoring committee.