Hyderabad: Almost 25 days into the inauguration of Metro Rail, the wait for bus stops is going to get longer. Across the stretch from Miyapur to Ameerpet, at several stations the passengers have to wait in the sun for buses. While the Miyapur station has a bus stop, lack of bus shelter is a primary issue, leaving many people exposed to the weather.
A commuter at Miyapur station, Mr Srinivas Naidu, said, “The lack of shelter ruins the entire experience as there is no shade. We have just one tree and there too many people waiting”. On the other hand, buses and autorickshaws at JNTU College, Balanagar and Moosapet Metro stations are taking over the road. This is causing inconvenience to the other commuters at regular intervals.
Several bus shelters which were removed to facilitate work on the Metro Rail are yet to be reinstalled. At most of these sites, barricades have been set up to make space for workers. This pushes the passengers and the bus stops onto the road. Bus and autorickshaw drivers stop the vehicles wherever they spot passengers.
Asked about this, HMR managing director N.V.S Reddy said, “The work is in progress to set up bus shelters near the main metro stations. At all stations, HMR is doing this as a pilot project with a distance of 700 meters. We are targeting the completing of all bus shelters within two to three months.”He said the HMR was working along with GHMC and Hyderabad Road Development Corporation. “We want to bring world class bus shelters which will take time. We are finalising different models and preparing agreements,” Mr Reddy said.
