Why only few halts for attending nature's call, ask TSRTC passengers

Hyderabad: For a long time now, the passengers of the long-distance buses of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), particularly women, are subjected to inconvenience when it comes to relieving themselves.

The TSRTC operates long-distance buses to neighbouring States including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. With the journey being mostly during nights, the buses have a few halting points and most of them sometimes don't even stop till they reach the destination. As these buses travel beyond 300 km and with a few halting points, the passengers are finding it difficult to relieve themselves.

L Sharada (name changed), who has recently travelled to Tirupati in an A/c bus of RTC had to face inconvenience. The problem for women who are single passengers is more because they cannot express this with the male drivers. "The authorities should ensure they sensitise the employees on various aspects. I hope they take note of this," said Sharada, adding that sometimes the buses are "too shabby."

The passengers are now taking to social media to bring the issues to the notice of the authorities. The officials however, said that the Corporation was taking all precautions and making sure that the long-distance buses are stopped for dinner at Dhabas during nights.

A senior official from the Corporation said that in the wake of several complaints with regard to the issue, a circular has been issued recently to make efforts to identify wayside Dhabas and restaurants with good ambience for having refreshments, lunch/dinner and also with clean toilets having adequate illumination.

The official said that whenever the bus reaches any toll plaza on the highway, the service driver should make an announcement in the bus that passengers can use the convenience rooms available at toll plaza to relieve themselves. This helps the women passengers to use the facility since they are safe, the official added. In case of emergency and if no such facility is available nearby, the drivers can stop the bus at any nearby public toilets.

Reacting on the complaints of shabby buses, the official said that a committee has been formed to give suggestions. The committee wanted the Corporation to call for tenders for cleaning, mopping, sweeping and washing for all types of buses for allotment under a single contract on manpower basis. If the contractor fails to keep the bus hygienic, there is a penalty of Rs 1,000 for first mistake, Rs 2,000 for second and Rs 5,000 for more than two mistakes, the official informed.