A bus terminus merely in name

NAGPUR: Strange are the ways of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). A month after claiming to have refurbished Wardhaman Nagar bus terminus and provided all basic facilities to passengers of East Nagpur area, nothing has changed. The building is still in a pathetic condition with no facilities for passengers.
The MSRTC officials had also assured that over 100 buses will make daily trips for places like Bhandara, Gondia, Aheri, Sironcha, Gadchiroli, Wadsa, Chandrapur and Yavatmal from here to reduce congestion at the main bus stand in Ganeshpeth.Since the day MSRTC announced it as a terminus, there has been no sign of either a passenger or a bus from here.
A visit on Thursday showed that the so-called 'terminus' is still in shambles. Records with the traffic controllers appointed here revealed that in the last one month no bus has arrived or departed from here. Further, no conductor or driver has registered their arrival and departure time on the record book at the bus stand. This reporter spent two hours on Thursday afternoon - supposedly peak hours - but there was no sign of either a passenger or a bus at the terminus.
A lone MSRTC official posted at the terminus informed that since the deserted building was given terminus status, he too has not seen a single passenger or a bus here. "How and why passenger will wait for a bus when corporation has not provided any facilities like water, toilets and most importantly lights and fans at the building," he said.
"The MSRTC bosses are simply trying to avoid giving the vacant bus depot and building land for the proposed new deputy RTO office and that's why on record it is being show as 'Wardhaman Nagar Terminus'," he said.
The official further claimed that during night hours the spot is frequented by gamblers and drunkards. Minor brawls among gamblers and looting incidents, which could not be corroborated by TOI, are common here.
RK Choursia, Wardhaman Nagar depot manager, claimed that though semi luxury and long-route buses do not operate or make halt at the stand, but almost 45 ordinary buses travelling to Bhandara and Gondia halt here. "We have appointed a traffic controller to look after the bus operations who also looks after booking monthly bus passes, students passes and other administrative work," he added.