Mira Bhayandar: MBMC's ₹10 Crore Uniquely Designed Bus Shelters Neglected, Turn Into Junk

Mira Bhayandar: Trendy bus shelters that sprang up across the twin-city less than a year ago for commuter comfort and at the same time to give a designer look to cityscape, paint a sorry picture of utter neglect due to poor maintenance by the agency deployed by the Mira Bhayandar-Municipal Corporation (MBMC).

From fruits like apples and oranges to instruments like radio, auto-rickshaws and coaches of bus, trains, metro and even the theme-based Mumbai-Cha-Dabbawala, bus shelters in the twin-city were transformed into various shapes.

However, most of the bus-shelters are gradually turning into junk owing to lack of proper hygiene, broken/missing benches. Some of the shelters have been illegally occupied by hawkers and junkies, rendering them useless for commuters.

The project which carries an estimated price tag of Rs 10 crore was executed on the virtue of funds from the local area development funds of local Shiv Sena legislator- Pratap Sarnaik.

“My sole aim behind the initiative was to provide comfort to commuters by facilities like friendly railings, resting supports and comfortable sitting arrangements- especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. A three feet display area was incorporated for roping in agencies to ensure proper maintenance in exchange of advertising. It is the duty of the civic administration to monitor these shelters. However, I will take up the issue with the commissioner.” said Sarnaik.

Nearly 100 locations in Mira Road, Kashimira, Bhayandar and Thane which fall under the limits of the Ovala-Majiwada assembly constituency were selected to install the uniquely shaped bus shelters under the aegis of the MBMC and their Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).