Multiple Bus Shelters - Another Route to Money ?
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Written By Naveen - 8 November, 2008
Bangalore
BMTC
BBMP
Bus Stops
Analysis
Commute
BTP
Pedestrian Infrastructure
Hi All,
When the scheme to build bus-shelters of 'International Standards' was first floated a few years ago, many welcomed it as the standard of shelters in the city was pathetic, similar to cattle sheds.
Now that the scheme is working 'excellently', we have so many of these bus shelters all over, that the 'overwhelming' success of the scheme is resulting in multiple shelters for the same stop.
The picture below shows two new bus-shelters being finished at Bishop Cotton Boys School stop on Residency road, in addition to two others that are already there. These occupy the whole width of what remains of the sidewalk, & multiple ones mean that pedestrians & commuters are forced to step down on to the road.
It is obvious that the corporation is 'benefiting' greatly by building more of these to 'create international facilities' for the travelling public.
This picture shows a bus lane being 'enforced' on Residency road by policemen since cars /autos /tempos /2-wheelers, etc. etc. were routinely occupying the stretch 'temporarily', since there was 'no bus when they came there'. The cop I spoke to stated that paint marking of bus lanes at bus stops had been a failure, & they had to resort to these more forceful methods.
Dear Naveen,
I am really curious to know when did this scheme come into practice? And what scheme is this.
Thanks
A few years ago a 'Hi-tech Bus Stand' was erected in front of the erstwhile corporation swimming pool (BBMP offices).
There was a huge neon sign on the canopy saying it was so. This monstrosity's claim to being hi-tech was Aluminium fabrication and a few fans under the roof.
A photo I got published in TOI forced them to drop the misnomer, (I unfortunately don't have the photo) but the blot still remains as a sad reminder of our ill conceived concepts.
A single bus stand at certain places may not be sufficient. A plan for a large number of busses is called a bus station. It can be a Transit bus station too. However if more than one bus at any instant of time is to be catered for it requires a care full re design.
We have to just see how it is done in Mumbai who has the BEST service to learn a few lessons. The second Bus Shelter has to be adjacent to the first one and become a part of a single Bus Shelter, with some modifications. Busses should come to the passenger exit point one behind the other. Passengers not willing to take a particular bus should give way to other passengers in the queue in an orderly manner.
Excellent photos Naveen! The reason for people not being inside the shelter could be
1. The BTS drivers stop the busses wherever convenient.
2. The drivers really do not know where they are supposed to stop, when they see so many passengers outside the shelter
3. BMTC is not in a position to help, by imparting good training to the staff.
We plan to address these issues in the “Safe Passage” Land Mark Project of Mr. K Chandrasekar
Psaram42,
Bus stops that see a lot of buses & route nos. stopping need longer bus stations to shelter larger no. of commuters, no doubt.
However, they do not have to be erected one by one as separate "closed" units. The design for longer shelter should have been planned at the start itself - it would have been known that many routes operate at the bus stop.
The design of the present bus shelters is such that they do not allow free movement of pedestrians (who may just be walking past the bus stop, & not taking a bus) - the bus stops have actually become obstacles to free movement of pedestrians, in fact force them to step down on to the road.
See the two pictures below - these are examples of bus shelters that allow free movement of pedestrians, whilst the third picture (at bottom) allows free movement behind the shelter.
This can also be included in the “Safe Passage” Land Mark Project of Mr. K Chandrasekar !
Psaram Sir,
No problem at all - I was blaming BBMP's foolishness, wastage & lack of planning.
BBMP must be in-charge of this, though I am unaware who the real contact is. I remember seeing ads some years ago, calling for tenders for construction of bus shelters by the erstwhile BMP.
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