Srikakulam: Commuters suffer as bus stops lack shelters

Srikakulam: APSRTC is paying no attention to providing facilities in bus stations and building shelters in semi-urban and rural areas in northeast coastal region of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. The passengers are forced to wait on the roadside as there are shelters.

The women, children, senior citizens and patients are experiencing harrowing time. All along the national highway (NH-16) from Pydibhimavaram to Itchapuram in Srikakulam district, there are no bus shelters at important locations. There are no shelters at Etcherla, Chilakapalem, Ranastalam, Subadhrapuram, Kotabommali, Nandigam, Korlam and other points. Bus stations at mandal headquarters like Baligipeta, Ponduru, Sarubujjili, Hiramandal lack facilities.

Some bus stations are under occupation of auto-rickshaw drivers, petty vendors in mandal headquarters. At Ponduru mandal headquarters bus station, auto-rickshaw drivers, petty

vendors have encroached on the bus station "Due to lack of bus shelters we are unable to wait for buses while returning from college" said students of Srivenkateswara Engineering college, B R Ambedkar University and Sri Sivani Engineering college located at Chilakapalem and Etcherla. "I travel daily to Ponduru from Srikakulam regularly. There are no facilities in the bus station" a bank employee I V Ramana said.