No parking plan in place for private buses

One example is the bus stop opposite the Ranga Reddy collectorate where passengers can be seen waiting for buses along with regular commuters waiting for city buses even at peak traffic hours. Areas like Kacheguda and Nampally railway station have become regular pick up points apart from spots like Paradise, Kukatpally, Dilsukhnagar and BHEL.

Around 200 buses belonging to 31 operators leave the city every day to various destinations. A senior traffic police official said, “There were some plans to develop bus terminals outside the city which did not work out because it would have proven inconvenient for the people. Lakdi-ka-Pul was an important stress point, which has been resolved by allocating six spots among different travel operators. We ensure that they do not pick up passengers from anywhere else. However, a need will definitely arise in the near future for a concrete plan.”

The six spots are LB Stadium, Mint Compound, BJR statue, Indra Park, Lakdi-ka-Pul and Public Gardens. When asked, private bus operators cite the comfort of passengers as the reason for stopping buses at multiple points in the city.

While boarding a bus from an area close to one’s home seems a comfortable option, many passengers feel that it is taxing, mainly because of the long wait and lack of amenities.

Mr Amey Deshpande, a regular traveller, said, “Single point pick up and drop should be there rather than multiple pick-up points causing traffic problems. This also makes passengers wait on roads for a long time.”

He wanted bus terminals to be built with amenities for private travel operators. “It becomes more difficult if a person is new to the city as he has to search for the pick-up point, which are neither marked nor officially designated. One just keeps on waiting on roads without knowing if that is the right spot or not.”