The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Harrowing time for bus passengers in city

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 10, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Harrowing time for bus passengers in city

Staff Reporter

`One-hour gap in the frequency of buses plying on Secunderabad-Begumpet route'

AT THE RECEIVING END: Commuters, especially those travelling on the Punjagutta - Secunderabad route, were the worst hit on Wednesday. — Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

HYDERABAD: People commuting in city buses on the Begumpet-Secunderabad route had a harrowing time in waiting for buses for no reason on Wednesday evening.

The plight of homebound employees and students on the route was unimaginable.

Commuters alleged that there was almost an hour's gap in the frequency of buses plying on this route.

To compound the plight of commuters, the buses that were plying on the route were packed to the brim. Adding to the scenario, the visit of the Tajikistan President affected the traffic flow for half an hour on the route, while the breakdown of two Ranigunj-2 depot buses plying towards Secunderabad from Ranigunj on the Begumpet Flyover caused a traffic jam for hours in the evening. "I have been waiting here since 6.45 p.m. and there were hardly three buses plying on this route.

In the hope of catching a bus, I walked all the way from Ameerpet to Hyderabad Public School," said S.Nageswara Rao, a Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited employee.

"After waiting for two hours and no other way to go, we were forced to pay the abnormal fares. Auto drivers are demanding Rs.25 per head for travelling from Hyderabad Public School to Patny Centre," said V.Satyanarayana, another employee.

Blame game

As usual, the authorities were continuing the blame game. "This is no fault of ours, it is due to the traffic jams on this route that has made the frequency of our buses slow down," said RTC Secunderabad Divisional Manager B.Krishna Hari.

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Andhra Pradesh