PUNE: One of the major reasons for the chaotic traffic conditions at the Keshavrao Jedhe chowk at Swargate is lack of proper facilities for over three lakh local bus passengers who reach the junction every day.

Five roads converge at the chowk which is home to two bus stations - one for the local public transport and the other for outbound buses - and the starting point of two corridors of the bus rapid transit system (one towards Hadapsar and the other towards Katraj).

The multitudes of passengers who reach the junction every day are faced with total confusion amidst heavy movement of traffic. Besides risking their lives while crossing the road in the absence of pedestrian facilities, citizens are beset with problems of lack of basic passenger facilities and information services as well as badly designed BRTS bus stops.

On any given day, local bus passengers can be seen standing on the roads and waiting for their buses to arrive. The bus stops lack boards displaying information about bus routes and final destinations. As a result passengers can be seen running helter-skelter just to find out about buses they can take to their destinations. Amid the walking, running and crossing the road, is the continuous heavy traffic flow especially on the Swargate-Katraj stretch. Also, since the platforms of the BRTS bus stops are considerably higher, many people avoid standing on the platform, joining the thousands spilling out on to the roads.

Bus passenger Uttam Kakde said that people avoid standing at the bus shelters because drivers of the PMPML buses stop anywhere and citizens have to make a run for it. "The LED boards at the stops don't work and do not display any information about the routes. Though waiting at the bus shelter is definitely safer, that way people will miss their bus."

Another passenger who had just arrived from Nagpur said he was running from one location to another just to find out which bus would take him to Sangamwadi and where he could board it from.

A bus passenger, Baban Aswale, said that some discipline should also be followed by people themselves. "Instead of crowding around the entrance of a bus and everybody trying to enter at the same time, citizens could wait at the bus stop and board the bus in a queue. The system in Mumbai is good and it should be followed in Pune as well. Also, the PMPML needs to create proper facilities for passengers."

Citizens also said that encroachments should be removed from near the bus stops and proper autorickshaw stands be provided so that people can move about safely and reach their destinations quickly. Another problem noticed at the junction is that there are no pedestrian facilities to reach the bus stops. Such facilities are needed because many people walk along the road to reach the MSRTC bus terminus or autorickshaws.

PMPML officials claimed that although they have appointed its staff to supervise the movement of buses and to direct the passengers, the situation goes out of hand because of the sheer rush of people. "About three to four buses arrive at the bus stop at a time. There is a huge rush of people and the problem increases during the peak hours. We will take steps to put up destination boards and a proper passenger information system," said a PMPML official.

A Pune Municipal Corporation official said a subway has been planned for people to walk from the BRTS bus stop to the MSRTC bus terminal. The work, however, will be completed in about two years.

MANGALORE: The ambitious Rs 300 crore multi-level car parking (MLCP) project of the Mangalore Urban Development Authority (Muda) is likely to take off soon. Muda chairman Ramesh S said that the detailed project report (DPR) is under preparation and the project will take off as soon as the widening of the KSR Rao Road, which leads to the project area, to 80 ft is taken up.

The 1.55 acre land has been given on a 35-year lease to Muda by the city corporation. The stumbling block has been the additional 55 cents which is in private hands. "We have had talks with the five private parties who hold the private land so that Muda will have 2.10 acres of land for development. The terms of agreement will be decided soon,'' he added.

Sources in Muda and the city corporation office informed that the proposal was stuck as land owners were not agreeing to the 60:40 factorization based on the land given up, with 60% going to the investor. They were keen on 50:50 factorization.

It is yet unclear whether the project will be developed on a public private partnership (PPP) or joint development mode. "If the tenders for the project do not get adequate response we will decide on the joint development mode,'' Ramesh observed.

The project will have 11 storeys, of which the top five storeys will be for car parking. Ramesh said the car park will not be a ramp system but will be a mechanical lift system which will give space for parking more than 800 cars. The rest of the floors will be used as commercial space, a move intended at garnering revenue for Muda for putting up the project.

He said if all things fall into place, the foundation stone laying ceremony will be held within the next couple of months.