Hyderabad: With thousands of people likely to leave Hyderabad and other cities for their hometowns for Dasara, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has lined up 7,000 special buses to handle the festival rush, with additional services to be deployed on routes witnessing heavy demand. However, it will collect a high fare on these services.
The corporation expects the peak outward rush from Friday, while a major rush is likely on the return journey on Oct 25 and 26. The fare revision is based on a 2003 govt order (GO No. 16), which allows the corporation to revise fares in special buses operated during major festivals and special occasions to meet additional diesel and operational costs. “Of the 7,000 special services planned, 3,533 will be operated from the Karimnagar zone. These include 431 buses from Adilabad region, 719 from Nizamabad, 1,175 from Karimnagar, 530 from Warangal and 678 from Khammam,” TGSRTC managing director Y Nagi Reddy said.
Buses would be increased or shifted between routes depending on passenger demand on these days, officials said. TGSRTC said the provision has been followed for major festivals since the erstwhile combined RTC and has continued after the formation of TGSRTC. TGSRTC officials said buses would also be repositioned during the return journey. The RTC MD said women would continue to travel free under the state govt’s Mahalakshmi scheme in Palle Velugu, Express, City Ordinary and Metro Express services, including regular and special buses operated for Dasara.
The higher fare, however, would not apply to regular services. Regular bus fares would remain unchanged during the festival period. If special buses deployed on a particular route see little demand, they would be brought back quickly and used on routes where passenger numbers are higher.