No bus stop in Doraha, residents forced to wait on highway

Thanks to the apathetic attitude of the municipal council, Doraha town in the Payal constituency has no bus stop. Residents have to risk their lives on a daily basis here. Buses, particularly those plying on the Khanna-Ambala route, have no designated spot to stop.

The situation becomes all the more precarious as residents have to stand between the national highway and the service lane as they wait for buses. Commuters are forced to stand on a drain constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), while some also stand on the road, disrupting traffic and further risking their lives. A bus stand was built here by the council a few years ago, only to be demolished by the NHAI.

“It is disgraceful for the authorities concerned to have ignored such a crucial requirement of the town. I avoid boarding a bus from Doraha as I know I would have to risk my life. On the one hand the fiery speed of private buses and on the other a lack of a designated place to stop and wait makes the situation so complicated that a senior citizen, such as myself, literally dread the thought of catching a bus,” said Pawan Kumar Kaushal, president of Senior Citizens Association and a resident of Doraha.

“There have been a number of cases where passengers, trying to board or de-board, have fallen off and received minor to major injuries. Due to informal boarding and alighting points the passengers are at their wits end,” complained Joginder Singh Kirti, another resident.

“Amid a lack of bus stop there are no provision for urinals or drinking water for passengers, who have to, at times, wait here for hours at end,” said Jandeep, a social worker in the area.

MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura said the council had tried to build the stop a number of times but since the stretch falls under the preview of the NHAI, the construction shall be deemed illegal. “But in order to provide relief to the passengers, a fabricated structure in the form of a bus stop shall now be brought into place which would serve as a makeshift bus stop and relieve the commuters to a considerable extent,” shared the MLA.