RTC to fleece passengers this Dasara

Hyderabad: Come festive season, be prepared to shell out extra money to travel by RTC buses. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) would run 3,335 special buses from various destinations for the ensuing Dasara and Bakrid festival by collecting 50 per cent extra fares from September 26.

These special buses would be operated from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS), CBS (Mississippi Hanger), Jubilee Bus Station, Dilsukhnagar and from important traffic generating points and also from authorized ticket booking agents located at various places in twin cities.

These buses are in addition to the normal scheduled fleet of 3,557 buses. In order to avoid traffic jam on various routes leading to MGBS and also in and around MGBS, the corporation has planned to operate special buses as well as scheduled buses in places like CBS, JBS, Uppal cross roads, Dilsukhnagar from September 29 to October 2, said Greater Hyderabad Zone executive director G Jaya Rao.

The ED said that since the buses return with less number of passengers, the corporation is forced to collect extra charge on a normal ticket. For buses going to sectors like Ongole, Nellore, Kurnool and Kadapa, the operating point has been earmarked at Old CBS (Mississippi Hanger).

For sectors such as Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak and Adilabad buses would be operated from JBS, Picket, for Warangal, Hanamkonda, Narsapet and Yadagiri Gutta buses would be operated from Uppal cross roads, Uppal bus station. For the sectors like Nalgonda, Miryalaguda buses would be operated from Dilsukhnagar bus station.

The RTC authorities have asked the commuters to book their tickets in advance for hassle-free and comfortable travel. 'We can rope in required number of buses if the tickets are booked in advance,' said RTC official Jaya Rao. He said that special shuttle buses would be operated from MGBS to JBS, Uppal cross roads and LB Nagar with 15 minutes frequency for the convenience of passengers.

For the buses pooled from various districts parking places are earmarked at Petlaburj, Amberpet Police Grounds, and Secunderabad Cantonment grounds. Jaya Rao said that to ensure convenient and safe travel by the passengers and to avoid en route traffic jams around 200 security supervisors and security guards are being posted at MGBS, CBS, JBS, DSNR bus stations and at various traffic generating points in twin cities.