Bus shelter blues

Two letters to the editor in GN:

Shelters, please ...
Despite my letter requesting a shelter for passengers waiting at the Rolla bus stand in Sharjah, there has been no development. Most of the time buses do not come on time for Dubai-bound passengers and they are forced to wait in the hot sun.

The authorities concerned should act fast and provide shelters, at least for the sake of elderly passengers. There is no need for air-conditioned bus terminals, a simple shelter to protect from the sun will do.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Ajman

... here too
It is surprising that there are no sheltered bus stops inside the Jebel Ali Free Zone. It is difficult for people to wait for buses in the hot sun.
The poor labourers, after working the whole day, can be seen waiting for buses in the sun. Dubai Municipality should fix some shades there.
From Mr R. Qamar
Dubai


November '05 to the present.
7 months for a simple driving licence and it keeps slipping from my hand.
Ajman has lesser number of people to sign up, and therefore the slower they issue licences, the more the revenue. However, this is not the case in Dubai. The faster they issue, the more the number of people who queue up.

I was often told that life begins in the sandlands after receiving a licence. Oh fine, I thought. I've driven my car back home for 2 years, the maximum time it would take was 3 months. 7 months past and 6 tests later, I have no clue on when I will finally get it in my hands.

Days are getting hotter, it's getting difficult to commute in buses. Air conditioning simply fails and even worse is the complete non existence of 'bus shelters'. No, not the 'proposed' air conditioned ones. But a simple roof over my head. I was at the Ghubaiba bus station. It's a major bus terminal, and they don't have one for buses that ply to Sharjah. So we - the impoverished lot of would-be licence holders and the voiceless common man, stand shoulder to shoulder in the hot sun at noon. We form an impromptu line. This line would help us get into each mini bus without putting up a fight. The number of people exceed the seating capacity of a standard mini bus. Yet it's extremely rare that we find a bigger bus at this major terminal. Sweat begins to pour down, and theres no sign of the bus. I begin to fidget - my minds racing. There has to be an alternative route.

But then the expressionless faces around me told me a different story. Their nonchalant stance signifies their daily struggle to just survive here - much less to commute. No grumbles, no frowns. The blinding sun doesn't even bring a sigh. Twenty minutes later, the bus finally arrives. We have executives in suits to site workers in overalls. The irony of a broad spectrum of society in such a narrow bus. Just as nauseating as the sweet smell of sweat and perfume.