The civic authorities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi allocate million of rupees every financial year for the construction of roads, parks and streets in the posh areas, but they never bother to establish modern bus terminals to facilitate the commuters, mostly belonging to lower middle class.
The high-ups of Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) have not prepared any plan on the subject. Pitiable condition of Pirwadhai, Faizabad and Karachi Company bus stands depict a picture of sheer negligence and ill-management by transporters and the misery of poor passengers, who have no other option but to bear the humiliation.
People at these bus stands are facing a number of problems due to the absence of waiting rooms, cleanliness and other basic facilities. No wonder, the most affected people are the women.
Pirwadhai is the busiest bus terminal, which connects the twin cities with the rest of the country through road, but there is no proper shelter to protect the commuters from sunlight or rain. It was observed that a number of commuters were sitting on muddy footpath, waiting for the vehicles.
It is not only the absence of waiting rooms but the stinking stagnant water, which accumulate in the vicinity, especially at Pirwadhai and Faizabad, is multiplying the problems of commuters.
The authorities have so far paid no attention to the faulty drainage system at the bus stands. Resultantly, overflowing sewage from gutters has become a common feature. The increasing sanitation problems at the city bust stands is not only creating problems for the commuters but also badly affecting the beauty of the city.
Piles of garbage are very much visible at the terminals, as there is no proper arrangement for cleaning the bus stands. The fruit vendors are augmenting the problem as they dispose the waste around their stalls, which negates the tall claims made by the authorities concerned that they are making utmost efforts for cleaning of the city.
Like other problems, encroachments and haphazard parking of vehicles further aggravate the situation at the bus stands. A number of vendors have displayed different kinds of stalls which not only creating problems for pedestrians bust also cause traffic jam and road accidents. Vendors sell wrist watches, caps, shirts, bags and small electronic items there. This also forces passengers to wait for the buses either on footpaths or on roads risking accidents.
Passengers have complained that the condition of these bus stands is getting worse and the government should take some action for the improvement of these terminals.
Like other parts of the country, passengers at these bus terminals are offered unhygienic food, as there is no one to check the restaurants and vendors.
It was observed that most of the hotels and other shopkeeper did not cover edibles and bother to clean their stalls.
A CDA official said not a single bus-stand owner in the twin cities had obtained formal approval from the CDA or RDA.
Last but not the least, the poor security arrangements at busy bus terminals is another big problem and may result in tragic incident.
