Kashmere Gate ISBT revamped, 2 others lack basic facilities

New Delhi: Tainted roofs, rusted pillars, walls smeared in tobacco stains and dust, and broken slabs — all these welcome bus commuters on a daily basis at the Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan interstate bus terminals (ISBTs).

The two stations, which serve as one of the closest links between the national capital and the neighbouring towns of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan, are in a dismal state and it seems the authorities have turned a blind eye to the issues plaguing them.

In addition, there is lack of proper sitting arrangements or waiting area which causes inconvenience to passengers.

Lata Devi, an old woman in her 70s, who was sitting on the floor awaiting her bus, said: “One can see several labour-class people travelling on a daily basis. This is the sole reason why the government hasn’t done anything to improve the conditions. The chairs are limited in number because of which a lot of people have to either stand or sit on the floor.”

Highlighting the poor quality of food and water, Mohammed Khan, a 36-year-old ticket checker at Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, said: “The canteen guy uses local products and sells it at rates higher than the market price. There is lack of management. There is only one water cooler in the entire ISBT and there too one can see tobacco stains that haven’t been cleaned in a long time.”

Rakesh, a 29-year-old immigrant labour from Bihar, said: “We are labourers. Owing to this reason, we are coerced into drinking salty water from the slabs as there is a lack of sanitised water. The bottles sold at the canteen cost around Rs 20. We can’t afford it.”

Toilets at the revamped Kashmere Gate ISBT can be used freely by commuters. However, the situation at Sarai Kale Khan is different. One has to pay Rs 5 for using the unsanitary toilet facility.

While a board outside the toilet facility says Rs 2, Babu, a middle aged man collecting money, demanded Rs 5 from the commuters.

“Management doesn’t do anything here. If you want to use the facility, you have to pay Rs 5,” he said.Rs Pointing at the garbage along the roadside, Vijay, a vendor at Anand Vihar ISBT, said: “We have installed dustbins in front of our shops as the passengers boarding the bus usually throw the waste on the road. We did appeal to the maintenance crew to install new dustbins, but nothing has been done so far.”

D13