But for the ubiquitous buses, there’s little at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (Imlibun) in the old city to substantiate its importance as a key terminus catering to hundreds of people every day. Lacking even the most rudimentary civic amenities and security, the terminus appears more like a trapeze training ground for passengers. With the mobile toilets, garbage bins and metal detectors having long turned victims of apathy, commuters are forced to put up with the stink of unwashed toilets, juggle past dozens of stray dogs, and wriggle their way around stinking garbage bins, with one hand firmly on the nose. That is before they reach the platforms for buses, where another round of torture awaits them in the form of a lengthy wait.
“Most buses start late and it’s difficult to wait on the stinking platform,” Mr S. Shankar Kumar, a state government employee from Saidabad, said. Apart from the fact that going to the filthy toilets during the waiting period is a strict no-no, he said stray dogs occupy most of the seats on the platforms. This makes it impossible for the passengers to relax during the wait. Security at the bus terminus is conspicuous by its almost total absence, say commuters. Metal detectors at most of the entrances and exits are not functioning and there is a shortage of security personnel to frisk the passengers entering or leaving the terminus.