Now, a bus shelter in Aminjikarai goes missing

As this facility on Poonamallee High Road is unauthorised, the State Highways Department has removed it

The timing of these moves cannot be worse. Even as Chennai is extremely hot days, on and off, bus shelters are "disappearing".

Only a week ago, civic officials of Zone – 10 removed a bus shelter near the Vadapalani market. It was an unauthorised bus shelter, but commuters pointed out that Corporation should have made an alternative arrangement.

The State Highways Department has now done it.

An authorised bus shelter near the Aminjikarai junction on Poonamallee High (PH) Road, on the side of the carriageway leading towards Anna Nagar, was removed overnight. And, no alternative arrangement had been made.

Poonamallee High (PH) Road is maintained by the State Highways Department.

“The officials who ordered the removal of bus shelter may not know the pain of waiting for a bus in the open during summer," says S. Vijayalakshmi, a commuter from Aminjikarai.

Unlike the bus stop at Vadapalani where the shelter was removed a week ago, the bus stop near Aminjikarai junction does not have trees in the vicinity for commuters to take shelter under.

The tiled footpath along P.H. Road, near the junction, is narrow and broken at many spots.

The closest bus stops are each a kilometre away.

State Highways officials said that the bus shelter installed at the bus stop was an unauthorised facility set up by individuals.

As per norms, bus shelters in the city should be installed only by the respective civic body, the MTC or the State Highways, whichever is applicable.

“Steps will be taken to set up a modern bus shelter at the bus stops soon,” says a State Highways official.