Hyderabad: Public desperate for RTC services in city

Hyderabad: For the past six months since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, TSRTC bus services remain off the road. With Covid restrictions being relaxed gradually and offices opening up, there is a greater demand for RTC service. High tariffs being charged by auto wallahs and cabbies are punching deep holes in pockets of commuters

"Although from September 7, the Metro Rails are running, many poor people cannot afford to travel by them. Also, they do not cover nook and corner of city. From September 15 final year exams for undergraduate and postgraduate students would commence, and they are largely dependent on RTC buses. Under these circumstances, it would be apt if the government orders plying of the RTC buses in the city. This would also generate some revenue for the government, which is staring huge fiscal deficit," said Baglekar Akash Kumar, a 5th year LLB student, University College of Law, Osmania University.

"I stay in Boduppal and the only means of public transport from my area is the bus. Even to reach the nearest Metro station I need to travel by bus. As everything is slowly resuming, I think, they should start the TSRTC services, albeit with strict covid rules," said Harshitha, another 5th year LLB student.

For the past five months, I have been forced to travel by private auto and cabs as TSRTC services are shut down to combat with corona. For Dilsukhnagar to Sanath Nagar journey, private autos and cabbies are charging around Rs 300-400 per trip. Before lockdown, I hardly used to spend Rs 25, making use of public transporation. It is high time the government re-started bus services," said Anuradha, assistant nursing superintendent, ESI Medical College, Sanath Nagar.

"Daily I'm forced to travel by cab, as public transport is shut down due to corona surge. It is becoming difficult for me to spend a huge amount on transportation as we are receiving 30 per cent less salary. It is becoming difficult to support my family," said B Upendra Reddy, an IT employee.

When contacted, a senior TSRTC staff said, "We have not received any instruction from the state government when to operate the bus services."