RAWALPINDI, Oct 6: The city district government Rawalpindi (CDGR) generates Rs25 million annually through Pirwadhai General Bus Stand, but it hardly pays any attention to improving facilities there.

The terminal gives a pathetic look with heaps of garbage all around, while the passengers’ waiting room and pavements have been occupied by shopkeepers and vendors.

More than 1,000 buses commute from the bus terminal every day, carrying hundreds of passengers to and from Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Alipur, Bahwalpur, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Peshawar, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gilgit, Chitral, Swat, Skardu, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“I have come to the terminal to catch a bus for Jhang but there was no place for sitting. My wife and mother were reluctant to sit on the bench as it was surrounded by vendors,” said Mohammad Faraz, who was standing near the waiting room.

He said a separate space should be reserved for women passengers waiting for the bus.

“Generally, women feel uncomfortable in the presence of men,” he said.

Karim Ali, a passenger going to Gilgit, said his family had no place to sit in the waiting room.

“I took them to a nearby restaurant, where I bought snacks for my family so that they could wait there. We sat at the restaurant for an hour,” he said.

When asked as to why they had come to the terminal early, he said to get a seat of their choice on the bus. But some times the buses arrive at the terminal late, which was why they had to wait at the terminal.

When contacted, District Officer Transport, Dr Mazhar Azeem said the CDGR tried to remove the encroachment but the shopkeepers and vendors resisted and staged protest, forcing the police to suspend the operation.

The protesting vendors even injured the Pirwadhai General Bus Stand recovery clerk Mohammad Safdar and recovery inspector Malik Mehfooz.

Dr Azeem said on the suggestion of Pirwadhai Police SHO Raja Abdul Rasheed, the district government team postponed the drive but it would be restarted next week.

Thd district officer said that the CDGR had lodged a complaint with the Pirwadhai police station against the protesters who created hurdles in the drive against encroachments.

He said that after removing encroachments, the CDGR would refurbish the waiting room and pavements at the bus stand.

On the other hand, Pirwadhai police station SHO Raja Abdul Rasheed told Dawn that tension between the CDGR officials and local traders was running high.

“Both were equally responsible for the situation. The local traders were of the view that the city district government officials had taken action without intimating them, which spoiled the situation,” he said.

The SHO said the police tried to cool down the high tempers and managed to settle the issue.

He said that the traders have demanded of the CDGR to give them time to vacate the area.

If they fail to do so, the city officials can go ahead and confiscate their goods, the SHO added.