Hyderabad: Summer is here but commuters see no bus shelters in sight
Hyderabad: The signs of early summer are quite visible as Hyderabad residents already feel the sudden rise in day temperatures in the first second of February. Recently, several areas of the city recorded 35°C temperature.
The rise in mercury level will leave the commuters, especially people who are dependent on public transport, high and dry due to lack of bus shelters at various bus stops in the city.
The limited buses and long waiting times due to city traffic has only worsened the condition of passengers in areas like LB Nagar. During the works on national highway expansion projects, the authorities removed bus shelters and have made no efforts to restore them.
A similar situation is visible in Hayathnagar, where bus shelters on both sides of the national highway are missing. The lack of bus shelters is causing immense hardship for passengers, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, and children. These people have to stand under the scorching sun while waiting for the buses at Ayyappa Colony, Bhagyalata Kaman, RTC Depot, Pullareddy Sweets, Lecturers’ Colony, HDFC Bank and RTC Colony.
The situation is no better in Hastinapuram division as passengers at Nandanavanam, Champapet Crossroads, and along routes connecting Santoshnagar, Kurnool Road, and Shamshabad via Sagar Ring Road face severe inconvenience due to the absence of shelters. The passengers are forced to take shelter under the trees and awnings of the shopfronts while waiting for buses.
The government hospital located at Nalgonda X roads in Malakpet receives hundreds of patients and their attendants daily, however, the absence of a bus shelter leaves them waiting for hours in the open. Similarly, the stretch between Sayeedabad and Dhobighat lacks a shelter near the Singireddy statue. The commuters have urged the concerned authorities to set up bus shelters for them as they are unable to withstand the rising mercury levels.
