![\"Even](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130451271,imgsize-397126,width-400,height-225,resizemode-72\/130451271.jpg\" "\\"People")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Even](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130451268,imgsize-397126,width-400,height-225,resizemode-72\/130451268.jpg\" "\\"Combo")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: As the city has been reeling under scorching heat, an ongoing citizen-led audit of bus stops has found that one in six surveyed bus stops in Delhi lacks designated shelter.Out of the 5,000 bus stops in Delhi, 231 were audited. Overall, 83% of the stops have some form of shelters, but northeast Delhi stands out starkly at just 31%. The bus stops in central and New Delhi have 100% shelters.This citizen-led audit, supported by Public Transport Forum and Greenpeace India, is being conducted since 2024 by volunteers using a structured survey instrument. At each bus stop, surveyors observed and recorded the presence or absence of 18 facilities, including overhead roof, seating, route map, digital display, lighting, CCTV, drinking water, dustbin, toilet and pedestrian crossing.The audit found that drinking water was available at fewer than 2% of the stops, making even short waits uncomfortable, particularly during extreme heat. \u201cSeveral of these deficiencies are systemic rather than district-specific. Essential facilities such as CCTV cameras (3% coverage), dustbins (7%) and drinking water (2%) are almost entirely absent across all districts. This points to a broader, citywide policy and implementation failure rather than isolated gaps in specific areas,\u201d it stated.The audit also revealed gaps in commuter information and safety infrastructure. Only about half of the surveyed stops have route maps, limiting basic navigation for passengers. \u201cMore concerning is the near absence of real-time and safety features: just 3% of the stops are equipped with digital ETA boards and fewer than 4% have panic buttons. This leaves most commuters without reliable information or emergency support, forcing them to travel without visibility or security assurances.\u201d<\/p>\n People wait for bus at a damaged bust stop in a hot summer day Gurgaon-Badarpur Road, Tughlaqabad<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The findings contradict the benchmark for bus shelters mentioned in the heat action plan and by Indian Road Congress. According to the Delhi heat action plan 2024-25, the transport department should ensure availability of shades or shelters, drinking water, ORS packets, etc., at bus stands, auto stands, etc. India Meteorological Department<\/a> has issued a yellow alert for heatwave conditions for Friday and Saturday.Indian Road Congress 2022 had stated that bus stops should be well-lit and well-shaded, and passenger information system in terms of static and real-time data should be available. Dustbins and drinking water may be provided, it added\u201cHeat in Delhi is not just an environmental issue anymore, it is a mobility crisis,\u201d said Aakiz Farooq, campaigner at Greenpeace India. \u201cFor lakhs of daily commuters, especially those who rely on buses, the journey begins with standing under the open sun, often without shade, water or basic protection. Well-designed bus shelters can act as critical cooling points, offering shade, ventilation and even simple interventions like reflective roofs and drinking water access.\u201dShipra Rani, an artist who participated in the audit, said she often commuted by bus. \u201cThe bus stops at the Badarpur terminal and Mehrauli had no proper shelter. They also lacked proper seating arrangement, making it difficult for people to wait in sweltering heat.\u201dNishant, coordinator of Public Transport Forum, said one of the most basic things that structured a frustrating, unsafe experience for bus users, particularly women, children and persons with disabilities, was the absence of a shelter or shade. \u201cThe condition is far worse in urban villages and peri-urban areas that have faced systematic neglect for decades,\u201d he added.No response was received from the transport department on the findings.<\/div>\n![\"22BUSSTOP-1.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130451271\/22busstop-1-jpg.jpg\" "\\"People")
<\/p>\n