Dehradun grapples with poor public transport facility

DEHRADUN: Even though around 290 city buses ply on 14 routes in the city, can the buses really be termed as a source of pride for the city? While they offer an inexpensive mode to commute, a number of issues plague them like broken windowpanes, unclean seats, overloading and rash driving.
City buses could have proved to be a boon for commuters. But instead, they have become synonymous with traffic jams and overspeeding, feel many.
“The city buses are no doubt a cheap mode of transport.But they are quite unclean. There should be separate seats for male and female passengers, but none of the city buses follow such rules. Tobacco stains can be seen everywhere. They also do not have first-aid boxes,” said Ekta Verma who regularly travels from Prem Nagar to DBS College in Karanpur.
Rash driving and overcrowding are equally troubling issues and there have been a number of accidents caused by city bus drivers
When TOI queried Vijay Vardhan Dandriyal, president, city bus union, Dehradun, on the issues plaguing city buses, he said, “There are around 220 bus operators in Dehradun. Earlier, there were over 310. But most of them have withdrawn their permits as there is no business. This is because of tempos (Vikrams). Accidents take place as tempo drivers hardly leave any space for buses. Our drivers are trained and follow rules.”
However, this contention is refuted by additional regional transport officer Arvind Pandey who said that city buses should be replaced with low-floor buses or electric buses to give a facelift to the city’s public transport. “City buses flout various rules. Some drivers don’t wear uniform. Overcrowding and over-speeding are other reasons why we keep fining city bus owners and drivers.”