Hyderabad: Sainikpuri and AS Rao Nagar Locals distressed as buses cancelled

Hyderabad: Locals of areas like Sainikpuri and AS Rao Nagar which is near to the ECIL bus depot are distressed due to the cancellation of the two most important buses, that would connect directly from ECIL to Secunderabad.

The two buses that have been cancelled are 24N that connects ECIL to Secunderabad via AS Rao Nagar, Sainikpuri, Neredmet, RK Puram, Lal bazaar, Trimulgherry and Patny and bus number 24E that connects from ECIL to Secunderabad via Sainikpuri, Vayupuri, EME Centre, Nag Mandir, Lal Bazaar and Patny.

Earlier, four other buses were cancelled. They were as follows: 3P which used to run from Sainikpuri to Kachiguda; 211M which used to run from Secunderabad station to Balaji Nagar via Lakdawala Gate; which was cancelled due to the construction of the army gate wall over the road; 38 that would connect from Tukaram gate via Sangeeth, Secunderabad, Tankbund and Koti to Afzalgunj Terminus; and bus number 43 that would connect from Vampuguda bus stop via Kapra, Sainikpuri Shopping complex, KV school X road to Secunderabad Station.

V Venkateshwarlu, the Executive Director of RTC, said: "The two buses have been discontinued as not many people are travelling in these buses. We have cut down around 800 buses after the recent strike. The bus services which got low earnings are being cut down and 24E and 24N were among them. Later, if more locals request for these services, we will be arranging alternatives."

Meanwhile, the commuters said that there was no public transport from areas such as AS Rao Nagar, Sainikpuri and Yapral and that they would have to change buses twice to reach their destinations. CS Chandrashekhar of Green Sainikpuri and Secretary of Federation of North-Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad said, "There are no direct buses from ECIL to Secunderabad via Sainikpuri and RK Puram. People will have to change buses in order to reach their destinations. It is going to cause a huge trouble to the middle-class people to hire autos as they will charge huge amount. It will also cause trouble for the elderly to change buses."