Rs 187 crore 'leaks' through the roof at Gita Mandir GSRTC terminal

Are you planning to travel in the Volvo bus run by the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC)? You may want to think twice before arriving at the Ahmedabad state transport bus depot in Gita Mandir as the air-conditioned waiting room has been closed for “maintenance”.

It was inaugurated in 2015 with LCD television and WiFi service.

The Gita Mandir Bus Terminus, including the waiting room, was developed at a cost of Rs 186.67 crore by entering into a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Hubtown Developers. The waiting room developed leaks soon after being opened.

While a GSRTC official claimed it has been closed for the last two months after toilet water started dripping from the roof, Mirror has learnt that the waiting room was closed shortly after inauguration as the officials wanted to relocate it to attract more passengers. A new space is yet to be allocated.

Officials in denial mode after spending crores

After keeping this reporter waiting for two hours outside her office, Sonal Mishra, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of GSRTC, refused to comment on the issue.

K S Gandhi, Divisional Transport Officer, GSRTC Ahmedabad, said on a defensive note, “The AC waiting room has been closed for maintenance and we plan to move it to the ground floor as not many people availed its facility on the first floor. A meeting will be held soon to discuss the relocation of the air-conditioned waiting room.”

An official requesting anonymity said, “GSRTC will examine the agreement it entered into with Hubtown Developers. Penalty will be collected from the agency as per relevant clauses in the agreement for causing inconvenience to passengers. GSRTC will use the penalty to resume services.”

What the private agency says

Jitendra Radia, Director of Hubtown Bus Terminal (Ahmedabad) Private Limited, told Mirror, “The GSRTC closed the waiting room, built at cost of Rs 1 crore, eight months after it was thrown open to visitors as it failed to attract them. Officials have held several meetings to decide the new location, but we have not been intimated. As soon as they do, we shall build the new waiting room.”

Admitting that the existing AC waiting room is witnessing leaks, he said, “Our job was to construct the waiting room and hand it over to GSRTC for management. However, we have been undertaking frequent repairs there, beyond our responsibility, every time they asked.”


15,000 passengers travel by AC bus daily

Close to 15,000 passengers use the AC bus service daily in Ahmedabad. The non-availability of the air-conditioned waiting room has forced travellers to spend their buffer time in the general waiting room, which is reeling from lack of charging facilities and proper ventilation. Besides, GSRTC officials have not provided any alternative arrangement to accommodate Volvo passengers, causing them major inconvenience despite paying high price for tickets.

Passengers suffer

Benny Gajera, a Surat resident who had come to Ahmedabad to appear for his IELTS exam on Sunday, told Mirror, “My return ticket in a Volvo cost me Rs 450, and I have been waiting for the bus for the last one hour in the afternoon heat. There should be an airconditioned waiting room, at least for those passengers who have booked tickets for Volvo and other AC coaches.

The situation is worse for passengers who arrive at the terminal early, only to realise that they will have to wait in the general waiting room. Harshad Gamit (24), a resident of Mehsana, frequents Ahmedabad in GSRTC buses. “I arrived at the bus terminus at 1 PM for a bus scheduled to depart at 5:45 pm. I am required to spend my time in the general waiting room despite spending for a journey in an air-conditioned bus to Mehsana. The general waiting room is unkempt, with people sleeping on the chairs and no charging points,” he said.

Sonu Patel, a resident of Chandkheda, who frequents Vadodara in state transport buses for business purposes, said, “The State has failed to maintain its transport system. Rather than introducing projects like Metro and bullet train, it needs to first work to improve existing transportation system which is used by majority of the population.”

Stern action against errant ST bus drivers

Umang Patel, President of Rail and Road Passenger Association, who was travelling from Anand to Dakor in a GSRTC bus on Sunday, found the driver talking on phone with the conductor. “Due to Poonam, the bus was full of passengers, but the driver risked the lives of everyone by talking on the phone with conductor.

Despite repeated pleas by me and fellow passengers, they did not budge.” He added that the driver-conductor also behaved badly with them when they raised an alarm for their dangerous behaviour.

When asked about the problems faced by people due to non-availability of the air-conditioned waiting room, Transport Commissioner Rajesh Manjhu refused to comment saying it is the responsibility of GSRTC. KS Gandhi, Divisional Transport Officer, said, “Every time we receive a complaint, we take cognisance of it and strictest action is taken against such drivers as we don’t compromise on safety of passengers.”