Survey reveals that of the 4,800 in city and Pimpri-Chinchwad, only 1,250 have shelters to protect commuters from the heat
A survey of the bus stops started by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) since the second week of April revealed that only 1,250 out of 4,800 bus stops in the city and Pimpri-Chinchwad have shelters to protect commuters from scorching heat and monsoon. The final report would be submitted on Tuesday.
PMPML Public Relations Officer Deepaksingh Pardeshi said, “At present, only 26 per cent bus stops have shelters. The remaining 3,550 stops just have either yellow or red sign boards, indicating that these are bus stops.”
He said the PMPML appointed a 15-member vigilance squad said to check the current condition of the bus stops. “ The action was initiated after Vasant More, former leader of opposition in the PMC, raised questions about the current conditions of the bus stops and menace of unauthorised contractors last week. The committee will submit its final report in the next two days. PMPML Chairperson and MD R N Joshi gave assurance that recommendations made in the survey report will be enforced.”
More had alleged that several contractors had not only failed to construct shelters at bus stops, as per the directives mentioned in their contracts, but were yet to pay the electricity bills for the advertisements displayed atop.
“A total of 967 bus stops were planned by giving contracts, but we feel that contractors haven’t done their respective jobs properly,” he said. u00a0President of PMPML Pravasi Manch Jugal Rathi said, “PMPML’s bus stop department is known as advertising department. It only wants to mint money through advertisements, and devoid commuters of their basic needs.”
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Survey directives
> Identifying yellow or red board, indicating bus number, routes and timings
> Inconvenience faced by passengers at bus stops in absence of shelter, seating arrangement and lighting
> Scrutinising contracts issued for each of the bus stops
> Whether the contractor has paid MSEB electricity bills regularly or notu00a0