A few weeks ago, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) put up banners on Ballari Road announcing that private buses and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses should not halt near the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus stop in Kempapura on Ballari Road
The Military Dairy Farm bus stop, or Esteem Mall bus stop as it is popularly known, is located on the National Highway, which connects the city to the airport, right down the Hebbal flyover. Despite BTP’s orders, many private and KSRTC buses continue to stop here, especially in the night hours.
Ballari Road also connects the city with the neighbouring States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The bus stop has been a pickup point for years now for private buses picking up passengers. With hundreds of buses, including BMTC buses, halting at the stop, it leads to frequent traffic snarls in the area.
“I was happy when I saw that these banners were put up by the traffic police. But it seems to have had little to no effect on the out-of-State travelling buses halting here. The situation is so bad that the private buses stop in the bus bay in front of the bus shelter, but BMTC buses drop off passengers on the main road,” said Anisha Y., a resident of Kempapura.
The BTP officials said that while they have started enforcement of the prohibition of private and KSRTC buses halting at the stop, it would take more time for bus drivers to become aware of the new rules. “We have been booking cases, and our officers are there during peak times to ensure there is no congestion there. But since it is an old practice, we are also working on creating awareness along with enforcement. It will take some time,” said M.N. Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru.
Besides the traffic problems, regular commuters also complain about the lack of basic amenities near the busy bus stop. “With such a great volume of buses coming here, it is surprising that even something as basic as lights are not present at the bus stop. The bus shelter is used by hundreds of women and senior citizens, and at night, if not for the lights from buses, the area around the bus shelter is pitch dark. The bus shelter flaunts that it is maintained by the MLA development fund, but there seems to be no development,” lamented Sudheendra T.R., a senior citizen from Yelahanka.
Citizens also mentioned that the service road on which the bus shelter is located is uneven and has many potholes, which makes movement difficult for pedestrians. Acknowledging the problems near the bus shelter, Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda’s office placed the blame on the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). “As it is a national highway, it comes under the jurisdiction of NHAI. Anything we want to do for the bus shelter needs to be approved by them, and that has come in the way of developing the bus shelter,” they said.
