Hyderabad: Wine shop at bus stop a risky mix

Hyderabad: Residents of Cherlapally have a peculiar problem on their hands. A wine shop operating from a bus stop in the locality for the past three years attracts tipplers who get drunk right there and come in the way of buses moving in and out of the stop. Quite a few drunk men have met with accidents at the spot, including some fatal ones. The roughly 2.2 lakh residents of the area very sore about this and have complained to the police. 

"After 5 pm in the evening, a lot of people come here and park their vehicles on the road which makes the movement of traffic very difficult and leads to jams," says Vijay Kumar, a second year BTech student and a local resident.

Shaik Basha, a local fruit vendor, says, "Police officers visit the area on patrol but drive away without warning the crowds gathering here. People sit at the bus stops and drink in broad daylight. It has become a safety concern for women who commute by bus."

Yadamma, a daily wage worker and a local of Cherlapally, says, "Accidents are very common affair, from minor ones to tragic mishaps leading to death. One such fatal accident took place a couple of months ago. Sometimes drivers also sit and drink in the bus, making it risky for passengers." Often, drunk men are seen lying unconscious on the road near the bus stop. 

When contacted, Cherlapally sub-inspector G. Chandrashekhar said, "Our patrolling teams are constantly moving to keep a watch in the area. 

We did receive complaints from the residents and did file cases against people lingering there. We will look into complaints of the residents."