Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jul 31: The KSRTC bus stand here located in the heart of the city always is full of passengers and other visitors. About 400 buses move through this bus stand every day. But since the last 15 days, this bus stand is experiencing pitch dark conditions as it is sans power supply.
The shops and KSRTC office inside the bus stand do have power supply. But the electricity supply system inside the bus stand has been damaged. Three big electric lights fitted outside the bus stand have not been functioning. People going to far off places at night, particularly children, women and aged people have been suffering for want of proper lighting.
This bus stand has been chosen by a number of drunkards as sleeping place at night. They are found to be urinating at the spot where they sleep. They not only vitiate the environment but also turn into stumbling blocks for the smooth movement of passengers. Many have fallen to the ground after stumbling over sleeping drunkards. On Sunday night, two drunken persons engaged in free-for-all brawl, and blood had started to ooze out of their bodies, locals say.
For thieves who steal from people who are sleeping in the bus stand even when lights are on, darkness has come as a blessing in disguise. The problem of thieves has become confounded since the last two weeks. They also threaten coolies and workers from north Karnataka who visit the bus stand, and extract money from them, shopkeepers at the bus stand complain.
For passengers, visiting this bus stand at night has become a nightmare. Till l10 pm, there is some light emitted by lights in shops but after that, there is total darkness. Even during heavy rains, people prefer to stand in rain with umbrella in hand rather than enter the bus stand and expose themselves to risks.
Manager of the KSRTC depot here, Altar Udaya Shetty, says that the city municipal council has been maintaining the bus stand, and KSRTC has been paying rent at the rate of two rupees per bus that visits the bus stand. He agreed that the bus stand is devoid of power supply since the last two weeks and clarified that several complaints have been made to the municipality but there has been no response. He said that because of the lethargy of municipal council, passengers are suffering. Municipal commissioner, Janardan, said that the fault in electricity supply system to the bus stand could not be detected, and expressed confidence of restoring power supply within two days.