A passenger takes refuge under a tree while waiting for a bus near Kalinga Stadium. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 4: The lack of co-ordination between the public works department and the municipal corporation has forced commuters to wait at bus bays without rest sheds at a time when the temperature is hovering around 40°C in the city.

Though the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation had promised to complete installation of the sheds and other passenger amenities at 55 proposed bus bays, most have not been provided with sheds. So far, construction of 21 bus bays of the proposed 55 has been over, but only a couple of sheds have yet been erected.

Construction of the bays has been assigned to the works department, while the civic body has been entrusted with installation of passenger amenities and sheds.

“The lack of co-ordination between the works department and the corporation has led to delay in installation of the rest sheds,” said a civic body official, who did not wish to be quoted in view of the model code of conduct, which is in force.

Sources said that earlier, the corporation had decided to go ahead with building rest sheds once all the bays were handed over to them. But, the works department could build only 21 of the proposed bays. Work could not be carried out in the remaining 34 bays, because the civic body was not co-operating with the works department, said a senior official of the works department. The rest sheds are to be built in the public-private partnership mode and will have uniform display areas for putting up advertisements.

A civic body official said according to the proposal, the rest sheds were supposed to have a public telephone, fans, water cooler and chairs. The private parties would be allotted a space to display advertisements.

The condition of the existing bus bays is also precarious with most of the chairs stolen. Stray dogs can often be spotted taking rest under the ill-maintained sheds in the hot afternoons.

“It is unfortunate that the city lacks a proper bus bay with passenger amenities. Even though the construction has been over a year ago, passengers are unable to use them,” said city resident Bimal Soren.

The city has been reeling from high temperature since the last week of March. It had recorded a maximum temperature of 42.9°C on March 30, the highest in this season. With the gruelling summer ahead, the passengers are apprehending further difficulties. “Summer preparation of the corporation seems to be restricted to installation of temporary water kiosks and water tankers. They are least bothered about the passengers waiting for buses in blazing sun,” said Sidhartha Khatua, a passenger.

However, a corporation official said a private party had been roped in to install sheds and other amenities and the installation would be over shortly.