BRTS crisis: Debris in corridor points to lack of maintenance
Amritsar, August 20
The maintenance of the BRTS corridor, especially after the suspension of Metro bus service, has taken a beating. Wild grass and plants have grown inside the corridor. The municipal corporation dug up the track at several locations for providing water and sewer connections to washrooms at the Metro station. The debris is still lying in the corridor because of which commuters, who use the track when there is a traffic jam on the main road, face inconvenience.
Not only the corridor, the infrastructure at the Metro bus stand is also not in good shape. The fibre sheets on rooftops are broken and the grills of the corridor are missing. The advertisement frames have also been damaged.
“When the bus is not operational, the quality of infrastructure would naturally deteriorate. If the government is not paying for the basic requirements of the BRTS, then who will take care of the corridor? The MC had repaired the BRTS corridor in March in view of the G20 summit. The Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PIDMC) should take the initiative to maintain the corridor,” said Mohan Singh, a local resident.
A large number of peepal trees have grown on the elevated bridge leading from the Celebration Mall to Verka. These trees are growing rapidly and would widen the cracks on the bridge. The government should not compromise the strength of the structure. The authorities should remove the wild grass and trees. The cracks in the building of Metro stations should also be repaired,” said Ajit Kumar, another resident.
The Metro bus service being run under the BRTS has been suspended since July 4. The buses are gathering dust at the Metro bus stand on the Verka-Vallah bypass while the condition of the corridor is deteriorating due to poor upkeep.
