Bus shelters in Abu Dhabi overflowing with rubbish

Department of Transport keeps silent on why rubbish is overflowing at bus stops.

The Al Falah Street bus shelter near Taha Medical Centre pictured last Monday. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Bus shelters across the capital are littered with overflowing waste bins that appear to have been left unemptied for weeks.

Commuters have been so disgusted by the state of the bins that they are avoiding entering the Department of Transport’s air-conditioned bus shelters.

The National went to bus stops on Muroor, Airport, Al Falah, Najda and Defence roads last week and found all in a similar filthy state. "We can't sit inside because of the foul smell emanating from the rotten foodstuff thrown in them.

“It looks [as if] nobody has cleaned them for weeks,” said Dalim Khan while waiting at Al Falah Street stop.

“I can’t believe such trash is scattered in an air-conditioned bus shelter in Abu Dhabi.”

The Bangladeshi carpenter held commuters partly responsible for the mess.

“When people find these bins are full they shouldn’t throw [rubbish] in the overflowing bins,” he said.

“I can see there is a trash bin outside the shelter. Residents who take the bus can walk to the nearby bin to dispose of it.”

The National emailed photographs of the rubbish to the Department of Transport last Monday and received no response. By Thursday, with the situation getting worse, passengers were unable to stomach waiting inside the shelters.

“Before I found it clean, but I don’t know why it’s not being emptied now,” said Filipino Rohalio Dotolo, waiting for a bus at Al Falah.

“It’s really very unhygienic to sit inside and very harmful for health, but we don’t have choice. We can’t stand outside because it’s hot,” said the hairdresser, pointing towards water leaking from the air-conditioning unit.

Syed Ali, an Indian worker waiting for a bus on Airport Road, called the situation “pathetic”.

“I have seen such bins on this route overflowing with trash and they haven’t been cleaned for over a week.”

Saqib Hussain, another Indian commuter waiting at the Madinat Zayed bus stop on Muroor Road, said it was very bad to see such conditions in Abu Dhabi.

“Before it would have been regularly cleaned but I don’t know why nobody is coming to collect the waste from the bins.”

Mr Hussain urged residents of the capital to practise healthy habits and pay attention to hygiene.

“If they find bins are full they should find alternative bins to dump the trash.

“People eat, drink and leave all their bottles and packets on the seats or just throw them into the bin, which is already full.”

Salesman Jeff Cariobil said the situation posed a serious health hazard.

“It’s inside the bus shelter and people are sitting next to bins, they need to be emptied every day,” said the Filipino.

The Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi, which is responsible for cleaning the shelters, has so far not replied to The National's questions.