BANGALORE: Travelling through Yeshwantpur? Soon, you will need not worry about long queues of vehicles or of standing at a crowded bus stop waiting for a bus. The new bus stand at Yeshwantpur is almost complete and functional. The upper floor of the bus stand has been opened to the public while partial work is still in progress on the ground floor.No more worriesThe bus stand that was replaced had become a severe cause for worry. It was congested and messy with litter disposed in every available spot. After the relocation of the bus stand the traffic chaos due to the railway station and the previous location of the bus stop has reduced for the commuters. As a result it was announced by transport minister, R Ashok, that a new mega bus terminal was soon to be constructed by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) in the area.SpotlessIt has been two months since the inception of the bus stand. It is kept clean despite the incoming traffic it handles. There are various billboards informing visitors to keep the place clean as well.The maintenance staff works in shifts. A resident of the area, on the condition of anonymity informed City Express that the cleanliness of the place has been more than satisfactory as of now but the authorities’ should ensure that the same stays true in the future too.Working water tapsFire extinguishers are installed at every bus bay in case of an emergency. A commuter, Sudipti, remarked, “It’s a thoughtful by the authorities. Many well known stations such as the Shivajinagar Bus Stand as well as Shantinagar Bus Stand lack this service. It’s nice to see that they are taking such precautionary measures. It makes us feel safe.”Seating hasslesOne of the only major problems is the lack of adequate seats in each bay. Due to the number of people who come here to catch a bus, many of them end up standing waiting for a bus. A traveller on his way to Yelahanka asserted that he was in the bus stop for the past half an hour, standing, waiting for a bus and all seats were occupied. This could be a reason of concern.Well-connectedThe area has buses to all major stations of Bangalore. Infact, one of the major reasons for the construction of the stand was to ensure that the stress on Majestic Bus Terminal is reduced. It connects Yeshwantpura to Shivajinagar, Kempegowda Bus Stop, Yelahanka, Vidyaranyapura and KR Market.Elderly can cheerThe bus stand has also been equipped with several elevators in order to make it easy for the aged to travel. The move has come as a surprise to many but has been welcomed. Mani, an elderly citizen, remarked, “A very progressive move by the BMTC. It makes travelling easier anjd comfortable for a person like me.”Still to comeThe pedestrian underpass is still under construction. The completion of the same will facilitate traveling between bays without the stress of traveling amidst the buses.Money mattersThe project, leaving the expense of pedestrian underpass and the expenditure of the unfinished business, is slated to have been approximately `91 crore. The figure is likely to increase by a huge amount as there is still a lot of work to be done.Traffic jamsThe present scenario shows that the traffic problem despite having decreased, is a situation that needs to be looked into. The presence of the flyover has reduced the hassle substantially but peak hour jams are still common.Land acquisitionBruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is in the process of acquiring land in order to finish the work. Once the land is acquired, it would be a matter of around 40 days for the completion of all aspects of the bus stand. The land is being occupied in order to facilitate redirection of traffic even towards the Tumkur Road.Public talkTejonidhi Paul, a student, said, “I am routine user of the bus stand. The old bus stand was horrible to use but the new one has been nicely built. We are very satisfied with it. It is neat and clean and the information boards are also in good condition.” Authority speakVeeregowda G N, chief traffic manager (commercial) of the BMTC, said, “The work will soon be completed. The traffic problem will sort itself out once vehicles are opened towards Tumkur Road.”
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