ALUVA: The KSRTC bus station in Aluva has become a centre of chaos with the incoming and outgoing buses making a mess of parking, posing serious threats to passengers. The Aluva bus stand where two bus depots, Angamaly and Aluva Stations, operate, added to the parking problem. The Angamaly depot functions in the Aluva bus station to facilitate the construction of the multi-storied KSRTC building cum office in Angamaly.
The bus stand in Aluva had earned a high reputation for its orderly parking of buses, timely operation of schedules and passenger-friendly facilities in the station some time back. But the stand witnessed turmoil when a `39 lakh Infrastructure Development Project was introduced there.
The entrance passage of the buses to the station was closed for concreting. About 96 buses conduct services to various destinations from Aluva daily under the Aluva ATO. The office of the Angamaly ATO operating 62 schedules has also been shifted to the Aluva bus stand. Hundreds of buses from other depots reach Aluva bus stand every day.
With the closure of the entrance passage, all buses were directed to enter and leave the bus stand through the existing exit passage, making the area a bottleneck.
The drivers had to wait for long to enter and leave the stand through the lone passage. Those who manage to take their buses inside the stand after waiting for long, were forced to park the buses anywhere in the stand due to lack of adequate parking space. The buses are parked in all directions making it extremely difficult for the passengers to identify their buses. They have to run through the gaps of the parking buses to search for their buses, risking their lives.
The drivers often reverse the buses without properly checking that there are no passengers around. A security personnel was posted to alert and direct the drivers while they reverse or take the vehicle forward. But it is humanly impossible for an employee to alert and give assistance to more than a 100 drivers at a time. The conductor of each bus can manage the situation effectively. But most of the conductors leave the buses as soon as the buses enter the bus stand, leaving the duty of parking the buses the responsibility of the drivers.
Hundreds of passengers face serious threat due to the careless parking and moving around of buses in the stand. Aluva ATO Vijayan Unnithan told expresso that the confusion prevailing in the bus stand will be sorted out within a week as the entrance passage will be opened for traffic. Specific areas for buses leaving for various destinations will be earmarked so that the passengers can board the buses easily without risk. Angamaly ATO Balakrishnan told expresso that the office of the ATO will be shifted back to Angamaly as soon as the construction of the fuel pumping station and washing ramp near completion.