City must have decent bus stops along with the BEST

A commuter says instead of the big buses on some routes with their frequency decided as per the crowd and demand, now there are smaller wet-leased buses, and their frequency is also low. Pic/Satej Shinde

The big, red bus beleaguered at one time, in extreme danger of extinction, has had a new lease of life during the pandemic.

The outbreak saw Mumbai's buses turn into road commute heroes, especially when trains were not operational.

This edit has often focused on the need and wisdom in keeping the BEST bus on the road, the lifeline for commuters, which seemed to be in need of oxygen some time ago. Fortunately, now it is on the way to recovery and revival.

With buses, of course, come bus stops, and a report cited how certain bus stops have fallen into disrepair and are in ruins. The problem is so grave that it is difficult for commuters to even identify where they are.

This is disappointing as buses and bus stops naturally go together. The latter, too, is part of Mumbai's iconic package.

We want to see bus stops refurbished and restored to their functional state. If they are in disrepair and in ruins, it also poses a danger to commuters who will congregate outside what is left of the bus stop, waiting on the road.

They'd be forced to rush towards the bus as it stops a little further ahead due to a practically non-existent bus stop.

We have witnessed bus stops becoming de facto homes for vagrants with babies in makeshift cradles, clothes bundled in corners and adults snoozing on the bench meant for commuters to sit on. At times, numbers are scratched out at places, making things difficult for commuters.

Instead of the tiresome passing the buck as to who is responsible, alacrity and action to address the bus stop problem is needed now.

Let us see an all-around, holistic survival and revival plan for the big red.