Patna: The once-promising smart bus stops constructed under the Patna Smart City Project in 2021 have now become symbols of neglect and mismanagement. Despite being strategically placed in some of the busiest areas of the capital and costing the city Rs 2.5 crore, these bus stops are no longer serving their intended purpose. Buses routinely ignore these designated stops, leaving passengers frustrated and forcing them to wait in vain.
Constructed at ten key locations across Patna, including the Income Tax Golambar and GPO Golambar, these smart bus stops were equipped with modern amenities such as comfortable seating, dustbins, shaded areas, and smart displays for advertisements. However, today, the condition of these facilities is deplorable. Many bus stops have become encroached by street vendors, littered with garbage, and plagued by broken or non-functional smart displays.
At the Income Tax Golambar bus stop, despite the investment in infrastructure, not a single bus stops to pick up or drop off passengers. Several people waiting for over an hour expressed their frustration, noting that buses simply pass by without stopping. A local commuter lamented, “There is no place to even sit here. We’ve been standing for the last hour, but no bus is stopping.”
Similarly, another passenger who had traveled from Muzaffarpur reported, “We’ve been standing for more than an hour, but no bus is stopping here. We need to get to Patna Junction, but it seems hopeless.”
The situation is further exacerbated by buses stopping at non-designated areas, creating traffic jams and further inconveniencing passengers. At R Block Golambar, where there is no official bus stop, nearly every bus driver stops in the middle of the road to pick up and drop off passengers, leading to chaotic traffic conditions.
At GPO Golambar, another smart bus stop constructed under the Smart City project, the situation is no better. Auto drivers have taken over the bus stand, and buses again stop in the middle of the road to pick up passengers.
Bus drivers and conductors expressed their own frustrations, citing pressure from passengers as a reason for stopping at non-designated areas. “We have orders to stop at 17 designated stops along our route, but due to pressure from the people, we end up stopping at nearly 100 places. If we don’t, passengers start fighting with us,” said a bus conductor on the Patna GPO Golambar to Bihta route.
When asked why they don’t report the issue to the authorities, a bus conductor responded, “What’s the use of complaining later when we’re getting beaten on the way?”
The smart bus stops in Patna were intended to be a significant step forward in modernizing the city’s infrastructure and improving public transportation. The locations of these stops include:
– Jamal Road
– Chiraiyatand Bridge (Pillar No. 47)
– GPO Golambar
– Bihar Intermediate Council (Gate No. 1 and 2)
– Planetarium
– Veerchand Patel Path
– Income Tax Golambar
– High Court
– Bamboo Ghat
– Peer Ali Park
However, the current state of these stops reflects a stark failure to maintain and manage these public assets. The smart displays meant to provide information and advertisements are now broken or in disrepair, further diminishing the utility of these facilities.
As the festival season approaches, with an expected increase in public transportation usage, the need for functional and reliable bus stops becomes even more pressing.
