Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath on Wednesday asked Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) to provide roofing, seating, and other necessary facilities at the platforms of State Bank of India service bus terminal in the city.
Mr. Kamath instructed the same after inspecting the bus terminal following complaints from people and bus operators on the lack of facilities at the terminal from where private city buses and private buses to Udupi, Uppinangady, Shivamogga, and other districts operate.
Mr. Kamath was accompanied by Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur, senior councillor Premanand Shetty, and officials from Mangaluru City Corporation, MSCL and city police.
Mr. Shetty said MSCL spent ₹4 crore for paving the road leading to the terminal and also creating platforms for city and service buses. Following this, the City Bus Stand operating on the road between Hamilton Circle and Rao and Rao Circle, was shifted inside the terminal since this April.
Mr. Kamath said it was decided to take up the work of roofing the platforms using money from advertisers.
“None of the advertisers came forward to fund roofing. Moreover, following Assembly elections, the roofing and improvement of other facilities at the service bus stand came to a halt,” he said. Roofing has been done only to two platforms related to service buses, he said.
A fisherwoman selling fish in the market adjoining the terminal said as there is no shelter, several commuters have fainted in the heat and collapsed. “We have been regularly reviving such commuters,” she said.
Shakuntala, a regular bus commuter, expressed the need for laying humps to slow down buses at the two exit points of the terminal.
The Mayor said there was need for seats and water facility for commuters at the platforms. The commuters have also demanded prominent display of bus timings.
He also said a public toilet at the terminal needs better visibility and should be properly maintained.
Councillor Divakar said the existing public toilet should be expanded to create a separate facility for women.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) B.P. Dinesh Kumar expressed the need for marking yellow lane marking on the stretch between Rao and Rao Circle and Hampankatta to prevent buses from blocking movement of other vehicles.
Mr. Kamath asked officials to work out the cost of roofing and other necessary improvement works at the terminal. “Let this be placed before the MSCL for the approval,” he said and added these improvement works are part of the plan approved by MSCL earlier. “I want the MSCL to take it up and finish it at the earliest.”
District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao should ensure timely completion of these necessary works at the bus terminal, he said.
