Need to decongest spaces outside railway stations

Pic/PTI

While some reports state it was an attempted U-turn gone awry and others state it was an attempt to reverse, the verdict is simple: decongest bus depots and railway stations.

The horrific Bhandup bus accident has shown us that we need an urgent clean up near railway stations and bus depots. Certain depots are placed near or within station precincts as buses acting as feeder service for the train stations begin and end there.

For the millionth time it is non-negotiable that there is a dedicated hawking zone near these places so that hawkers are relegated to a designated area and commuters shop over there. Food stalls that have licences must be confined to a certain area with enough space for people to stand rather than spill on to the road.

Most importantly, buses must have a regular alarm system while reversing or even making a tight turn. Drivers must have a conductor/another person standing and guiding the bus driver as he reverses as even with all the technology, it is good to have a human giving guidance and direction, too. At night, we need to have enough lights at the depots for good visibility. Stationary buses are often shrouded in dim light with people walking behind the bus, alerted when the bus lights come on. Dedicated pedestrian pathways when possible with clear markings. Bus queues on the pavements not on the roads. Rickshaws that are buzzing around that space, need to be near pedestrian pathways as commuters will walk to find a rickshaw.

There must be a holistic look at every hub as this is an entire travel ecosystem. A railway station has roads leading to it that are densely choked with people. Transport, usually rickshaws or buses and in South Mumbai taxis as part of the mix. There has to be planning, leading to safety for commuters. Go back to the drawing board and redraw the contours of these spaces.