High demand for public transport, specially TSRTC buses

Hyderabad: With the reopening of educational institutions and Covid cases decreasing in the city, there is a high demand for public transport, especially TSRTC buses, but due to their less frequency, people are forced to wait for hours. Vexed bus travelers have requested the RTC to increase the number of buses.

The daily passengers pointed out that it has become common to see people hanging and also running behind buses. There is an immediate need for increasing the bus frequencies, as passengers are seen waiting for buses for long duration. Adding fuel to fire to the situation, for the past one week autos are charging double and triple the original rate.

According to sources in RTC, before the Covid pandemic around 3,500 RTC buses used to ply in the city. Around 33 lakh passengers used to utilise the services. Presently around 2,500 buses are plying. During the last five years no new buses were purchased due to fund crunch.

Said Sai Ratna Chaitanya, a daily passenger, "the main reason is that RTC does not have enough buses. Around 2,500 buses are plying in the city which is not enough to cater to its population. The other reason is many schools and college students have ordinary bus passes that are not valid in Metro and Deluxe buses. It will be better if RTC allows student passes in all buses. Also, it will be better if RTC officials in the upcoming budget present a proposal to the State government to buy buses.

"Almost on all routes RTC buses do not come frequently. Due to less frequency and no assurance of when a bus will come, we are forced to opt for alternative modes of transport. As for the past one week, auto drivers are looting the public. Recently I was charged double the actual rate from Banjara Hills to Ameerpet," said Anushka, a daily commuter.

"We are forced to wait for buses at least for 30 minutes. Also sometimes buses do not halt at stops. Many times we have complained to the concerned officials to increase frequency of RTC buses, but all fell on deaf ears. As the State government should always encourage public transport, it will better if it sanctions funds to the Transport department to increase the RTC fleet and also extend some extraordinary privileges for one or two years so that they can buy some buses," said Sai Teja, a daily passenger.