BALANGIR: The Balangir bus stand is in a dismal state. Every monsoon, passengers face difficulty walking through the slippery muck in the bus stand. Water-logging at its entry and exit points causes severe inconvenience to the people.
Downpour in the last couple of days has led to severe water-logging in the bus stand located in the heart of the town. Adding to the problem is the dirt and filth all around as the bus stand lacks a proper drainage system. Even as locals have been demanding shifting of the bus stand to another place near the RTO office on Titilagarh Road, on the outskirts of Balangir town, no step has been taken so far. The district administration spent `10 lakh to construct a new bus terminal on Titilagarh road but that has not been put to use yet. The bus stand is poorly maintained and even a short spell of rain floods the bus stand with ankle-deep muck.
“There is acute water-logging in the bus stand, especially during the rainy season. Passengers have to wade through ankle-deep water here every monsoon. Considering the plight of the bus stand, one can easily make out that it is a victim of negligence over the years,” said Sandeep Panda, a local resident who travels to Titilagarh every day from the bus stand. As there are no urinals in the bus stand, people use open spaces to respond to nature’s call, he added.
The bus stand also lacks infrastructure for parking of buses. A large number of buses can always be found parked on the main road near the bus stand, creating hurdles for the smooth flow of traffic.
Balangir Private Bus Owners’ Association president Hemanta Kumar Panda said he is aware of the problem faced by the passengers in the bus stand. “Since the bus stand is located on a private land, no infrastructure development can be carried out. Private bus owners are ready to shift to the new bus terminus if the district administration gives its nod,” he said.