When a modern bus shelter is installed, the old, sometimes anachronistic, one is removed.
But not in Mylapore. Here, three modern bus shelters were installed recently, each placed next to the one it probably had to replace. This is perhaps a temporary thing, and the old shelters may be removed in time, but, for now, this unexpected generosity is helping commuters cope with what has turned out to be an unusually torrid summer.
“We are not complaining. It is very difficult to stand in the open waiting for buses. With so many shelters, people at least have a place to sit now,” says V. Rajagopalan, a commuter.
The new shelters were installed in the beginning of this week. The two routes that start from this area (M15 and 5B) and those passing through it, including 21, 1A, A1, 29C, have different shelters.
“But the problem is route numbers are mentioned on the old shelters and newcomers are confused about where to stand. The shelter right next to the Amma Water bottle stand is not used at all.
Sometimes, people sit here. They have to sprint to catch a 21 series which stops much ahead. To avoid this confusion, the route numbers should be mentioned on the new shelters,” says Padma, a resident.
After the shelters came up, hawkers seem to have moved out. “Earlier, whatever little pavement space was available was taken up by roadside vendors. Now, with the new shelters, they have been forced to move out,” quips Rajagopalan.
