Shirdi passengers to shell out more for safe journey
Hyderabad: The Shirdi-bound RTC bus passengers from Hyderabad are made to cough up an additional Rs 75 each in return for an assured safe journey. The corporation is charging the extra amount because it is opting for a longer route to reach Shirdi in view of the growing threat of dacoits.
Officials said frequent instances of attacks by dacoits on the ghat section between Bhoom and Jamkhed near Osmanabad have forced many people to avoid the route and instead take a detour of nearly 50 km.
As vehicles generally slow down on this section because of the steep gradient, robbers strike and decamp with valuables. Private vehicles generally make an overnight halt at a dhaba, about two kms before Bhoom village and resume their journey the next morning.
The traditional route of the Shirdi bus is Hyderabad- Zaheerabad-Humnabad- Umarga- Naldurg- Tuljapur- Osmanabad- Bhoom- Jamkhed-Ahmednagar and Shirdi. But after frequent incidents of robbery, the buses are made to run from Hyderabad- Zaheerabad- Humnabad- Umarga- Naldurg- Sholapur- Timburni- Ahmadnagar- Shirdi.
The RTC buses are forced to travel an additional distance of 50 kms because of the change in the direction and an extra hour is added to the journey time, the official added. "Earlier, the corporation had written to the Maharashtra police to increase patrolling during nights.
According to the officials, the Greater Hyderabad zone runs eight buses on the Hyderabad- Shirdi route. Four buses, including two Garuda plus and two super luxury buses operate from Hyderabad and the other four in the return direction. The corporation runs its first bus at 5 pm, two buses (one AC and one non AC) at 6 pm and the last bus at 7 pm (AC).
The distance between Hyderabad and Shirdi has now become 611 km by the new route, which has well-maintained BT roads and is free from any threat of attack by dacoits. The charges collected for an AC bus are Rs 948 and Rs 695 for non-AC bus. The corporation claims to have been charging Rs 75 extra on the basic fare because of the additional travelling distance.
News Posted: 7 February, 2014
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