Poor infrastructure cripples Perunna bus stand
The municipality has done little to improve facilities for either commuters or bus staff.
The municipality has done little to improve facilities for either commuters or bus staff.
The municipality has done little to improve facilities for either commuters or bus staff.
Changanassery/ Kottayam: The Perunna Number Two bus stand is reeling under a lack of basic infrastructure. With KSRTC services temporarily operating from here due to ongoing construction at the main KSRTC stand, passenger traffic has doubled. However, the municipality has done little to improve facilities for either commuters or bus staff.
A daily struggle for passengers and bus crew
The list of issues at the stand is long and troubling
- No place to sit: Most of the chairs once placed for commuters have been stolen, and no replacements have been made.
- Toilets remain shut: The recently inaugurated ‘Take a Break’ public toilet is non-functional
- Employee rest areas are inadequate: KSRTC staff are crammed into a small room. Private bus employees have no rest area at all.
- Dangerous infrastructure: Cracks are widening, concrete slabs are coming loose, and vegetation is sprouting through them.
- First aid centre closed: The free first aid facility has been locked for months.
- No police presence: The aid post lacks full-time police presence.
- Rampant waste dumping: There is no drainage system. Wastewater from nearby shops flows into the bus stand.
- Anti-social activity: Public drinking, verbal abuse and hooliganism are commonplace.
Municipality should listen
- Install permanently fixed chairs to prevent theft and provide seating for passengers
- Reopen the ‘Take a Break’ toilet facility after addressing complaints; provide temporary alternatives in the meantime
- Create adequate rest facilities for both KSRTC and private bus employees
- Ensure timely maintenance to prevent accidents due to crumbling infrastructure
- Deploy full-time police personnel at the aid post
Act against illegal waste dumping; establish a proper drainage system, and install CCTV cameras for surveillance
EMS Auditorium
The EMS Auditorium, located above the bus stand, is also in a state of neglect. The premises are littered with garbage, and sections of the ceiling are falling apart. G-bins distributed by the municipality lie abandoned here. Air conditioners are rusting due to poor upkeep. Concerns are also being raised about the decision to build the auditorium at a site that lacks sufficient parking space