Attabira: A woman carrying a child, under the blazing sun, waiting for a bus to go to Dalab Hatapada on National Highway-54 under Attabira Assembly constituency in Bargarh district is not a new sight for residents here.
After standing under the scorching sun for about 15 to 20 minutes, the painful wait ends only after a bus or an auto-rickshaw arrives and takes her to her destination. Such a scene of people along with their children waiting for buses and autos has become a common thing. In fact, the locals here have become used to the fact that they have to wait for the bus under the scorching sun, thanks to the neglected rest shed that has been left to shamble since years.
When asked, some elderly locals pointed towards a dilapidated building with overgrown bushes all around it, resembling a haunted house.
After closely looking at the building, nearly faded Odia letters, saying it to be a commuters’ waiting room, show up.
A mere look at this building is enough to fathom how interested are our leaders and government officers to serve people.
“The government is getting commuters’ rest room constructed at road sides, markets and squares. People waiting for their buses can take refuge in these buildings in case of rain, sun and winter. Here we have a rest shade but is in a dilapidated condition from disuse,” the elderly man said.
Ministers and officers are regularly commuting on this stretch passing the rest shade, as if they were not seeing it.
April 15, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is coming to Banipali football ground to attend an election meeting. The proposed venue is near the rest shade.
Let’s hope for the rest shed’s better days if any local leaders, ministers or officials’ attention got attracted towards it, locals said pessimistically.