The worst fears of civic activists and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Lim ited (PMPML) bus commuters regarding newly-constructed temporary shelters came true, after part of a shed at Senapati Bapat Road collapsed on Sunday morning. Fortunately, the incident occurred early in the morning when nobody was present at the bus shelter, so no injuries were reported. However, the activists have demanded that PMPML authorities fix these poorly installed sheds urgently.
According to activists, they have been complaining about the poor quality of the shelters since October, but to no avail. They have alleged that the PMPML authorities haven’t paid any attention to their complaints, and hope that Sunday’s incident would rouse the officials and force them to institute an inquiry.
“In the wee hours of Sunday, residents heard a loud sound. They rushed to the site and saw that a car had hit the bus stand opposite Ratna Memorial Hospital. The impact wasn’t a major one, but it was enough to bring down the entire right side of the bus stand,“ said Jugal Rathi, a resident of SB Road and present of the PMP Pravasi Manch.
“In October, we had complained against the newly installed bus shed. We said that it was shaking dangerously and should be reinstalled in a proper manner. However, over two months have passed and no action has been taken. Our fears came true on Sunday when the same bus shed collapsed. In fact, this is not an isolated case and there are several other such shelters which need work. We are demanding a PMPML inquiry into the haphazard installation,“ he added.
Residents have also demanded that the authorities initiate proceedings against the person who drove hisher car into the bus stand. “The vehicle registration number is known to us. They should go ahead and file a case. And moreover, they shouldn’t wait for incidents like this before checking their work. While installing a shelter, officers should check its quality. Had it collapsed on a person waiting underneath, whose responsibility would it be?“ demanded Rajesh Kulkarni, a resident of Model Colony.
PMPML joint managing director Pravin Ashtikar said, “Directions have been given to staff to remove the dangerous parts of the bus stop and to reinstall them in a safe manner. We will ensure all our bus stops are safe for commuters. We will carry out an inquiry and if the person who drove his her car into the shelter is found to be guilty, we will register a case.“
Source : Pune Mirror
