Absence or deteriorating condition of sheds at bus stops in different areas of Rawalpindi, Islamabad irk citizens who have to bear the brunt of all kinds of harsh weather conditions
Citizens travelling between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have to undergo constant stress and strain as the sheds at bus stands are either in pathetic condition or completely absent.
Whether it is the scorching heat of summer or the rain in the winter season, the commuters have to face the hardships of all kind of weather while waiting for the bus to arrive at these bus stops.
Several bus stops, including Islamabad Expressway, Khana Pul, Zero Point, CDA, 9th Avenue and Complex bus stops do not have the facility of sheds that could save the daily travellers between the twin cities from the weather hardships.
Fifty-two year old resident of Khan Pul, Muhammad Idrees who is a regular commuter between the twin cities for the past 28 years said, “I commute to work at Pak Secretariat daily. The condition of shelters at different bus stops is deteriorating with every passing day.”
“Most of the bus stops do not have shelters and people have to face hardships of weather,” he said adding that no one cares about establishing sheds on any of the stops.
The shed at Zero Point bus-stop has been removed which is creating problems for the commuters in summer season, said a resident of the nearby locality.
Moreover, while travelling towards Rawalpindi, the Zero Point stop has also been shifted on the Kashmir Highway which does not have proper waiting area or shelter.
A passenger of the public bus system, who lives near Islamabad Expressway, Wahid Ahmed said that he has to wait for public transport daily and bears scorching heat and some time heavy rain.
“I could not find even a single shed on Expressway,” he complained and added that commuters, particularly senior citizens and females should be facilitated by establishing sheds at bus-stops.
Besides these new bus shelters, the old bus stops constructed by the civic authorities ages ago are also in rundown condition.
The commuters, while demanding the construction of proper sheds at bus-stops, said that in the peak summer season, when the blazing sun makes its presence felt especially at high noon, the woes of waiting commuters cannot be ignored.
The concerned authorities should build proper sheds and benches to solve the problems of commuters, they added.
