GURGAON: Residents of Devendra Vihar in Sector 56 have complained about a
bus stop that has sprung up in their vicinity, along a lane linking Devendra Vihar with Sector 55-56 metro station. They said over time some tea stalls have also illegally sprung up in the area that attract anti-social elements all day, making it difficult for residents to walk past.
Residents told TOI there are almost half-a-dozen high-end apartment complexes in the vicinity. "Residents of Park View Apartments, Jal Vayu Vihar, Lions CGHS and many others are
terrified by these bus drivers," said a resident of Lions CGHS, refusing to give his name fearing reprisals from the drivers with whom he claims to have had run-ins in the past.
Residents said these drivers ferry passengers between Sector 56 and Sikanderpur in their 50-seater buses, and have converted this spot into a 'parking lot' without any formal
permission. "This bus stop is totally illegal. A few months ago, I discovered that a lot of these drivers don't even have driving licences. Some drive buses bearing false number plates. These buses also freely violate pollution norms and emit a lot of smoke."
The buses often end up blocking the road, cutting the residents off from the city. There have been reports that the drivers made it very difficult for female residents to walk past the area. "They make cat-calls and eve-tease women and girls. The situation is very grim here. We raised the issue with police once before, but it was not effective. They return a few days after they are asked to leave. They seem to be invincible, and obviously have political backing," said a woman who lives in Park View Apartments.
When asked for answers, the SHO of Sector 56 police station said he has not received any complaints on the issue in the recent past. "If we receive a compliant, we will take action. Also, we'll make another round of inspections on Wednesday."
