If you wish to leave Ranchi with a stinking image in mind, come to the bustling and garbage-strewn ITI bus stand in Hehal locality of the State capital. For, one of the three bus stands offering long-distance conveyance to thousands of passengers, the terminus paints a sorry picture in absence of maintenance and amenities.
The dilapidated bus stand was chosen to be developed on the lines of Birsa Munda bus terminus along with the one in Dhurwa. Whereas the first international-class stand of Jharkhand located in Khadgarha boasts of features like bus bays, organised ticket counters, food courts and rooms for travellers, the one in Hehal barely has a proper structure of its own.
Close to 6,000 passengers come and go through the terminus everyday in the 300 odd buses originating from here to other districts like Gumla, Daltonganj, Palamu, Garhwa, Chatra and beyond to the neighbouring State of Chhattisgarh. Despite the traffic, travellers have a hard time looking even for the basic facilities.
“There is no arrangement for drinking water. Someone hardly comes to pick up the trash and the bus stand has no sweeper of its own. People do not come here to board a bus willingly, but compelled to, if and only if, they have no other option left,” said Dinesh, a bus agent doing business at the terminus.
lack of upkeep becomes evident as one enters the establishment. A shabby concrete shed coming undone at seams stands as the only structure to welcome the passengers. Adjoining structures fashioned out of sheet metal, bamboos and plastic sheets constitute the commercial part of the complex, offering bus tickets or refreshment.
A drinking fountain cannot be found even if passengers endeavour to find it, forcing travellers to depend on mineral water bottles sold in makeshift shops along the bus stand. Those looking to relieve themselves have the options to pay for using the toilet run by Sulabh International at the far end of the terminus or do it in the uncivilised manner, which seems to be the preferred way.
“We get merely Rs 400 to 450 every day. The only source of water around here is the tube well in the campus of the washroom complex, which is used by the bus agents and drivers,” said Amrendra Jha, the manager at the counter of the paid public toilet.
Authorities, however, claim to make efforts to turn the picture on its head. “Garbage is picked up daily from ITI bus stand, but it gathers over the course of day, courtesy food and beverages stalls. That will change when Essel Infratech takes the reins of solid waste management in Ranchi. One of the 19 mini transfer stations will be built there for collecting garbage. This will help keep the premises cleaner,” stated Mayor Asha lakra.
“Plans to develop ITI bus stand on lines of the one in Khadgarha have been drafted; work in this direction will begin once required funds are allotted,” she added.