Throughout the year, potholed roads in rural areas pose a constant threat to ST buses, causing damage and inconvenience. However, the risk of accidents escalates significantly during the rainy season when travelling on these deteriorated roads. This not only endangers the lives of passengers but also raises concerns for their safety.
Consequently, the ST Corporation has taken the initiative to identify and list these problematic roads. In an effort to prioritize passenger well-being, bus services in villages with poor road conditions may be temporarily suspended during the monsoon season.
The ST Corporation is gathering data about the condition of roads in different regions across the state, categorized by their respective depots. Once identified, the responsible authorities will be notified for necessary maintenance measures.
While the majority of buses operate on well-maintained main roads originating from the Cidco Bus Stand in the city, it is noteworthy that a significant number of buses serving rural areas depart from the Central Bus Stand. Unfortunately, rural areas tend to have a higher prevalence of poorly maintained roads. The CIDCO Bus Stand has a total of 88 buses and operates 152 trips per day. On the other hand, the Central Bus Stop has 122 buses and facilitates 210 trips on a daily basis.
“A list of bad roads is being prepared. Once this list is ready, it will be submitted to the Office of the Comptroller of the Department for further action,” says Laxman Lokhande, Depot Manager, Central Bus Stand.