Bus and train services added for festive rush

A few days after the Christmas vacation, school and college going students are given three holidays in a row for the Sankranthi festival. Largely celebrated at the rural areas of the district and State, Sankranthi is an occasion for the ‘far from home’ birds to fly back and spend quality time with their families ushering in festivities. Elaborate arrangements made by APSRTC authorities and special trains by the SCR have come in as a blessing to the passengers, besides heavy price tags.

Several Schools which have re-opened on January 2 after a week to ten days of holiday break for Christmas festival have circulated a minimum three day holiday for the festival. Most of the Intermediate students have already travelling to their home town for the festival. As hostel administrations have let out students from Tuesday afternoon, the city buses, Telugu Velugu services and that of metro buses were jam packed. The day witnessed a huge rush at Pandit Nehru Bus Station and Railway Station with students along with luggage choked the compounds.

Making the more of it were the private vehicle operators like auto rickshaws and four wheeler cabs which made a buck from the passengers who hired their services to be transported to their destinations. Adding to the inconvenience of the public is the hectic traffic jam that clogged vehicles from Auto Nagar to M G Road, from Milk Project to Bus Station and at One Town areas.

M Srilekha, a second year Bi.P.C student coming from a residential college from Ganguru says, “I am given permission to catch a bus to Kadapa this evening at the main Bus Station. Coming out with two bags was not a task for me but rushing through the jam packed buses from the Hostel building has left me exhausted. Tickets for my travel were already booked long ago, so I had no problems with journey.”