Location of bus stops that cause traffic snarls have been a major contention when it comes to streamlining traffic and the issue is in focus once again, as the City Police have prepared a list of bus stops that needs to be relocated.
The issue of wrong location of bus stops i.e., near road junctions and traffic signals was discussed several times at the Road Safety cum Traffic Advisory Committee (RSTAC) meetings earlier, but resolving the same remained elusive all along. This required co-ordination with many departments.
Coimbatore Corporation, District Administration, Police, Highways, Transport Department, private bus operators and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) need to come together. In the absence of co-ordination, the problem continues.
City Police Commissioner Amaresh Pujari said that police have already raised this issue and would certainly take it up with the authorities concerned for shifting the bus stops a little away from road turnings and traffic signals.
Location of bus stops especially close to road junctions and traffic signals creates traffic snarls.
In addition, the bus crew while approaching the bus stop tend to speed away without stopping at the bus stop, if there was a green signal, thus leaving the passengers stranded at bus stops.
The bus stops on city roads do not have bus bays for the parking of buses and they occupy a substantial portion of the motorable space thus blocking the vehicles behind.
Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause K. Kathirmathiyon who is also a member of RSTAC pointed out that bus stops have been put up on city roads not on the basis of the needs of the passengers but more on the basis of advertisers' interests.
The shelters for passengers – with advertisements – are indiscriminately erected by advertisers.
In fact the location for shelters for passengers should be decided by the Corporation/ Highways, Police and Transport Department and then they should ask the agencies to erect the shelters for passengers.
Shifted
Earlier, a few such bus stops were shifted to a nearby location. But passengers continue to stop at the old place and bus crew also stop at the same place unmindful of the spot being declared as unauthorised stop.
While the passengers blame the bus crew stating they stopped the buses only at the old place, the crew blame the passengers of standing only at the old place.
In certain cases, competition between TNSTC and private buses defeated the objective of shifting bus stops, Mr.Kathirmathiyon further added.
Bus stop near GP Theatre signal, Women's Polytechnic, Lakshmi Mill Junction, Raja Street – Oppanakkara Street Junction Nava India Junction, Ramanathapuram Junction, Singnallur signal, Sungam junction are just a few examples.
Bus stops should be located a little away from a road junction or a traffic signal.
Otherwise, the buses parked at bus stops will hold up traffic, he added.
There is a need for a comprehensive study on the location of bus stops which should be done by the police, corporation/ highways, Transport Department, before the relocation happens.
After relocation of the bus stops, the relocation of passengers' shelters should be done.
TNSTC and Transport Department should deploy people to ensure that the buses do not stop at the old place.
When contacted, District Collector M. Karunakaran said that agencies concerned will be asked to take up a detailed study based on which steps would be initiated to remove bus stops that are at wrong locations.
