Reopening of CSBT in Hubballi brings little relief, but problems still persist

Nearly five months after remaining out of bounds for the bus passengers, the renovated City and Suburban Bus Terminal (CSBT), popularly known as ‘Old Bus Stand’ in Hubballi, has now reopened, bringing a bit of relief to the general public, however problems still persist.

The ‘old bus stand’, which was renovated under the Smart City Project and dedicated to the public, was forced to be shut down within months of its inauguration because of the ongoing work on the elevated road at Kittur Chennamma Circle.

After a series of complaints over the slow pace of work on the elevated road and frequent visits by leaders and officials, and subsequent interaction with the traders operating around the K.C. circle, it was resolved to close the CSBT initially for four months to expedite the flyover work. However, it took longer than the stipulated time to reopen the bus stand, which finally happened on September 3.

While the bus passengers are relieved a bit, reopening has also brought with it related problems, as the work on the flyover is not completely over, and only a part of the traffic is being diverted on the K.C. Circle - Hosur Circle stretch. As of now, city buses, BRTS, suburban, and some long-route buses are being allowed to operate from CSBT and along with them four-wheelers and two-wheelers are being allowed to use the adjoining road.

However, the vehicular movement is not yet smooth, as there is a lot of confusion among the motorists because of barricades put up to facilitate flyover construction. The traffic police constables are trying their best to manage the traffic, but despite assurance by authorities, the temporarily laid road is not vehicle-friendly.

Meanwhile, because of not been used for close to five months, the amenities and infrastructure at the CSBT have taken a beating and require proper maintenance. The worst affected are the traders operating around the bus stand and it is likely to take some time for their businesses to improve.

As the flyover work is likely to take several more months, more problems, particularly related to traffic, are likely to crop up unless authorities come up with alternate measures.