Jaipur: At a time when the Supreme Court is directing states to clear pavements for safe pedestrian movement, at least 18 non-functional bus stops continue to occupy footpaths along Jaipur’s JLN Marg, although no buses currently run on the stretch.Several of these shelters, including a few air-conditioned Smart Bus Queue Shelters of the Jaipur Smart City Limited (JSCL), stand unused on what is widely projected as the city’s most attractive corridor. Instead of serving commuters, they have become cosmetic street furniture, cleaned and refurbished mainly before VVIP movements to spruce up the road.JLN Marg is lined up with at least a dozen educational institutions, including the Rajasthan University, Kanoria College, Rajasthan and Commerce College, shopping malls including World Trade Park, commercial establishments and prominent religious sites. The commuters, however, say they must walk a long distance to Tonk Road to access public transport.“With no bus routes we need to walk at least one to two km every day to take buses from the Tonk Road. There are bus stands that block space meant for pedestrians to walk,” stated Pawan Kumar Gurjar, a post graduate student at the Rajasthan University.
A bus stop having only seats without the shelter near Clark Amer hotel in Jaipur
Most shelters were built by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, while JSCL installed air-conditioned shelters across the city. Officials of both agencies said the structures were created as per requirements notified by the Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL) officials. However, the absence of routes has turned the facilities into encroachments rather than amenities.JCTSL officials said buses previously ran on JLN Marg but were withdrawn following a government notification. In 2019, JCTSL resumed services via Rajasthan University, Kanoria College, Rajasthan College and Commerce College, Jawahar Kala Kendra, and onward to Jagatpura, but the service was suspended during the Covid-19 outbreak.“We are waiting for e-buses to arrive. Once these e-buses are added to our fleet, we will re-introduce services even on JLN Marg,” stated Narayan Singh, MD JCTSL.
A bus stop near Gandhi Circle with very few bus-routes in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 22 June 2026
