GHMC to improve bus bays, queue system

Hyderabad, July 5 (INN): GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar stressed the need to develop bus bays in IRC (Indian Road Congress) standards in order to adopt 'Queuing system' in APSRTC bus stops in the GHMC limits.

The Commissioner held a meeting with Jitender, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), R. Dhansingh, Engineer in Chief, GHMC, Y Subramanyam, Advisor, ASCI(Administrative Staff College of India), Kiran, representative from RTC on 'Bus bay and Queuing system' in Hyderabad.

This meeting is in continuation to the meeting held in the Chambers of Additional CP (traffic) yesterday and field visit conducted later on. After listening to their experiences, the Commissioner said that seating arrangements need to be improved in bus shelters along with developing 'bus bays'.

Earlier on Friday, the Committee consisting of Traffic Police, RTC, GHMC and ASCI have visited the locations at Grammar School, Abids, Koti, Osmania Medical College and observed that the bus shelters were available in all three locations, they cater to multiple routes and the divisions at the bays are based on sectors.

The Committee felt that queuing should be adopted at the terminals where there is physical space available for circulation of buses and for managing multiple sectors on roads and queuing with the support of railings at some important bus bays on the said roads can be taken up.

The Infrastructure of the bus shelters need to be developed such as bus shelters with proper seating, display of the bus details and railings.

The Commissioner said that every bus and bus shelter needs to be given unique number in order to link with GPS system and branding of each shelter is required. He has directed RTC people to appoint staff to regulate traffic at bus stops in peak traffic hours.

The Commissioner further informed that there are 864 bus stops, 1611 bus shelters and there is a need to establish around 600 bus shelters for the benefit of commuters.

Somesh Kumar directed the Police and ASCI officials to put up proposals of locations for constructing 30 FOBs (foot over bridges) with transparent elevator (lift) facility immediately, so that he will get sanctions in next standing committee meeting.

He said that establishment of FOBs at needy locations is a must and expressed his sorry for the women folk who are crossing grills while sarees. He further directed to prepare models for FOBs with pre-fabricated material, so that they can be shifted to needy locations without dismantling the structure. He informed that nearly 40 people were killed while crossing the roads in Hyderabad.

The Commissioner further directed the Police and ASCI officials to list out the 'Labour Addas', where labour assembles in search of employment. He said that GHMC wants to set up 'Sheds' in such locations, so as to protect them from heat and rain. GHMC wants to appoint one person there to register the names of such job seekers in coming days, he added.