KNEE-DEEP TROUBLE:(From top) Muddy water at the Baramunda bus stand in Bhubaneswar and a motorcyclist struggles to cross the terminus. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, July 10: Leap, skid and get wet in a slush pool— that’s one deal that Bibekananda Jena, 20, had not bargained for when he left home to catch a bus to Dhamra from the Baramunda terminus.

Bibekananda, like several other commuters, had to brave large stretches of potholes full of muck and water to board the bus at Baramunda.

“I went with my family members to the bus stand to secure good seats. But forget a good seat, on arriving there we struggled to find a place dry and clean place to stand,” said Biswanath Mahalik, another commuter.

“I had to lift my sari to reach the bus stand without getting wet in the muddy water,” said Mandakini Behera, who was to board a bus to Mayurbhanj.

Not only passengers, but bus drivers are also finding it difficult to drive the vehicles through the muddy potholes.

“Earlier, we used to take 10 minutes to drive out from the terminus. Now, at times, it takes 20 minutes,” said Rabi Narayan Behera, a bus driver.

Moreover, the bus staff have to work overtime to keep the buses clean at the terminus. “There are muddy spots all over the buses. It becomes difficult for us to stand here and clean the buses,” said a cleaner.

Nearby shopkeepers also suffer as few are interested to come to the bus stand in these conditions. “Our business has dipped significantly, as people prefer to board buses from outside the terminus. No one prefers to walk through the muddy water,” said Baidhar Nayak, a shopkeeper.

Earlier on March 16, the state government signed an MoU with a private company — ARSS — to renovate the Baramunda bus stand. However, to the commuters’ utter disappointment, the bus stand still lies neglected. “We are not bothered about the modern bus terminal. Rather, we are interested in a clean and mud-free bus stand,” said Nabaprakash Sahoo, a local resident.

Project manager of the ARSS Anil Kumar Panda said the renovation work could not kickstart until and unless a temporary bus stand was fully operated. “We cannot do anything until and unless the area is handed over to us,” he said.

On the other hand, president of the All Orissa Private Bus Owners’ Association Debabrata Patnaik slammed the government for not taking any action regarding the renovation of the terminus. “We are the second highest revenue earners after the excise department, but look at our condition. It clearly demonstrates the apathy on part of the government,” he said. The association members are also hesitant to shift to the temporary bus stand, as the area is too small to accommodate all the vehicles plying through Baramunda.

“As the ARSS is supposed to carry out the renovation work, our priority should be handing over the land by facilitating the process of temporary bus stand,” said Binod Chandra Behera, deputy general manager (technical) of the state road transport corporation.