Throughout the day West Bay circulars are operated without any passenger patronage. Inside an empty circular service in the area.


By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

Even after 14 months since their launch, the circular bus services in Doha's West Bay area are yet to attract good response from the travelling public, it is learnt.
Mowasalat says circular buses are operated seven days a week at 15-minute interval between 6am and midnight in a bid to reduce the overcrowding of private vehicles in the area where traffic congestion is a common sight.
Some of the office goers in the West Bay area told Gulf Times that there would have been excellent response to the circular bus services had they been operated in an effective and efficient manner.
"Most of the trips are conducted without even a single passenger on board," said a resident familiar with the area. Some staffers of the establishments in the West Bay say they would never be able to reach their offices on time if they park their vehicles in any of the designated parking zones in the area and wait for the bus.

"I had to wait in the open area for more than 20 minutes for the arrival of the first circular bus  and it took more than 25 minutes to reach the vicinity of the complex where our office is located and that was the first and last time I used the circular service," an individual said. Others also echoed similar feelings.
Though the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning had announced in last April its plans to provide air-conditioned bus shelters in view of the high temperatures during summer, nothing has happened on the ground.
There are hardly any waiting sheds for passengers in any of the points through which the circular buses pass, it is understood.
While terming the services as far from helpful for a vast majority of the residents, some of them sought their diversion to other localities where there is very little bus connectivity.
Inquiries made at the bus station found there has been a growing demand for bus services to such areas as Umm Salal where many worker-accommodations are located. However, the number of services to the place is bare minimum.

"Also it is high time, the transport authorities considered operating services between some destinations, without insisting that the such buses should depart from the Central Bus Station in Doha," another commuter added.