RISKY: With no bus shelters or bus bays, commuters are forced to stand on the road and wait for buses at the Balekundri Circle, in Bangalore. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Despite the promise of the officials of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) officials in May to construct bus shelters and bus bays at Balekundri Circle by July, commuters of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation continue to languish under the sun and the rain in front of Parsi Temple.

Construction of two bus bays and shelters, taken up by BMP in May at a cost of Rs. 40 lakh, has remained incomplete.

After the Central Street, connecting Cubbon Road and Shivajinagar Bus Station (SBS), was made one-way, all BMTC buses originating from Shivajinagar had to pass through Balekundri Circle. It resulted in huge traffic pile up at the circle, which at times extended up to Shivajinagar, compelling the authorities to provide a free left turn on Queen's Road.

Buses originating from Shivajinagar towards K.R. Market, K.R. Puram, Maratahalli, Neelasandra, J.P. Nagar, Jayanagar, Srinagar, Mahalakshmi Layout and other areas pass through this stretch. These buses do over 1,120 trips a day, while buses from East Bangalore towards Kempe Gowda Bus Station and K.R. Market do over 900 trips, a senior BMTC official said.

The BMP in consultation with BMTC began the work of dismantling a small park opposite the Parsi Temple. From the beginning, the work progressed in a snail's pace. Though a concrete road was laid in the stretch two months ago, platforms and shelters are yet to come up.

Due to the absence of platforms and shelters on the widened stretch of the free left turn, commuters stand in the middle of the road waiting buses risking their lives. Also, the area lacks adequate lighting.

When contacted, a BMP official concerned with the project said the civic body would have to dismantle the existing shelters which are not used on Queen's Road and shift them in front of Parsi Temple.

He did not give any time limit for the shifting. However, there was no word from the official on the construction of two bus bays on the widened stretch of the free left turn.

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