WARANGAL: Though the State government continues to make tall claims that it is taking all necessary steps to ensure the comprehensive development of Warangal, the pathetic condition of the main bus station proves that it is all talk and no action. Despite being one of the major urban areas, the poor upkeep of the main terminus, which acts as a hub for RTC buses that ply to all parts of the State, has been taking a toll on Warangal for quite some time now.
One can easily find exemplars that highlight the apathy of officials right from the entrance of the terminus itself. Though thousands of passengers arrive at the Warangal bus stand on a daily basis, the authorities concerned have not been taking any measures to ensure the proper maintenance of the terminus.
The situation goes from bad to worse when it rains in Warangal. Since the building is already in a dilapidated condition, the roofs leak during downpour, as a result of which the passengers won’t be able to even take shelter in the bus station. It may be recalled that the terminus had submerged during the recent torrential rains as well. Even after that the officials concerned turned a blind eye to the bus stand, as a result of which the passengers had to wade through sludge and stagnant floodwater to reach the platforms, for several days.
Although it is located adjacent to the railway station, the bus terminus has not been receiving any attention. It may be mentioned here that this is the most-crowded terminus in the twin district, after the Hanamkonda bus station.
When Express spoke to a few daily passengers, they said that the officials concerned have been neglecting their representations for quite some time. Pointing out that the bus station doesn’t have any necessary facilities, they blasted the authorities for not ensuring proper hygiene of the terminus. 400 district buses and 270 local ones ply from the terminus to various parts of the State, carrying at least 50,000 passengers, on a daily basis.
T Vijay Kumar, a passenger, said that one can’t stand at the terminus for more than five minutes due to stench from the surrounding areas. “Not just that the roof leaks during rains, the terminus doesn’t even have proper seating facilities. It is not something that happened overnight. The condition of the terminus has been the same for several years,” he added.
Speaking to Express, B Vijay Bhaskar, who took charge as the TSRTC Warangal Regional Manager two days ago, said that he will visit the bus stand soon and take necessary steps to address the issues.