Jose K. Joseph
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 22: Nearly 50,000 vehicles are added every year to the capital city’s roads, partly due to the lack of a robust public transport system in the city.
Had there been a reliable, commuter-friendly bus service between the twin cities, the number of motorists on the city roads would come down by a big margin, say transport experts.
As of today, more than 60 per cent of the households in the city own a two-wheeler, and the city roads are running out of space for vehicles at a fast pace.
“Currently, 11 bus services are operating during the day while four bus services are operating during the night”, said Samal Babu, a statistical assistant working with the Orissa State Road Transport Corporation.
With government public transport being available only till evening, those who commute after 9 pm have few options other than opting for private transport. Most commuters prefer to avoid the city’s auto-rickshaw network as it is unreliable and in some cases unsafe. Instances of commuters getting stranded in deserted locations at night are not unheard of, say several commuters.
“Though a bit on the pricey side, auto-rickshaws are generally a sought-after means of transport during the day for many commuters. These auto-rickshaws however ferry up to seven passengers sometimes, instead of the maximum four, thus putting commuters at risk. They still continue to rule the roost in the city due to the absence of a robust bus service. There are almost 20,000 auto-rickshaws in the city. While we continue to regularly fine errant drivers, they don’t stop the illegal practice as it brings in money for them,” said Lal Mohan Sethy, RTO, Bhubaneswar.
Most of the woman commuters however are sceptical when it comes to taking an auto-rickshaw. Ritu Roy, a daily commuter from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack, said: “Line auto-rickshaws are actually unsafe for women. My sister had a bad experience when a driver tried to misbehave with her. I generally don’t prefer taking line autos but when there are no buses I’m forced to get into one.”
With the government hardly having any presence in the local public transport sector, private players are making a killing for themselves. Private bus operators routinely carry passengers much more than the specified limit, with even schoolchildren being put to risk.
“I use my own private means of transport because I find it comfortable and affordable, and suits my office timings. I will consider public transport only when it offers me enough incentive, be it in terms of economy or in terms of saving time,” said Chabindra Behera, a marketing executive working in the capital city.
A study by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board showed an increase of 14 per cent in the respirable suspended particles in the city.
