A closed bus stop at Sahajanand Society on Gopinath Nagar Road has seen a flurry of activity lately. The abandoned stop was vandalized soon after the bus route ceased to function and became a hub for nefarious activities. With people gaily day drinking and jay walking in addition to the added nuisance of public urination; this stop soon became a ground for dumping waste.
However, a set of city architecture students sought to make a positive change.
A competition hosted by the National Association of Students of Architecture saw them work to transform the Bus Stop. This enthusiastic group of 35 Students from Pune’s BNCA (Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture for Women) were led by their student leader Rutuja Badve.
Talking about transforming the space she says, “The effort was to create a small gathering space for citizens in the vicinity by creating value using cost effective solutions. When we took over the bus stop on 15th August, it was in total disarray. We added blocks for seating, a tiny library and a flower bed for a spot of greenery.
With one side hosting a blackboard for kids to scribble on, the other depicts a quirky caricature. Interestingly, over 20 books have already been donated to this cause to the delight of local seniors. “Ours is a residential area and the misused bus stop created a lot of nuisance. We live just behind the bus stop and our compound was also being misused for a while now. The idea of converting this into a vibrant urban public space has naturally been welcomed,” says a resident senior.
Fondly named ‘Alpaviram’, the space offers seating and is intended to help people interact and enjoy a small break from the hustle bustle of life.
“We received great supported from the BNCA Authorities, especially our Principal Dr. Anurag Kashyap. The local citizens aided us greatly particularly Shrikant Mahajan and his son Sanil.
All we needed was their assistance and our parents’ encouragement,” smiles Rutuja.
Guided by BNCA professors Mahesh Bangad, Dr. Shubhada Kamalapurkar, Dr. Chetan Sahasrabudhe and Rahul Chutake the girls ardently tackled the passion project. The refurbished space now offers plenty of activities for children and even senior citizens.
While there are 250 odd bus stops city-wide that are not in use, ‘Alpaviram’ is intended as a model for creating similar urban interaction spaces.
Inaugurated by ace Cartoonist Charuhaas Pandit of Chintoo fame, the space is now operational.
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