Daily commuters in Hyderabad were left stranded at bus stops on Monday due to a low frequency of buses on the city roads. More than 1,800 buses from different depots in Greater Hyderabad were diverted to the Medaram Jathara, causing a shortage of buses for regular commuters.
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is currently running 6,000 buses to accommodate the Medaram Jathara, which is Asia’s largest tribal festival, from February 18 to 24. Normally, TSRTC operates 2,644 buses in the Greater Hyderabad Zone daily, but during the festival, 1,800 city buses are allocated for devotees attending the fair. This means that only 800 buses are available for regular commuters in the city.
Many commuters, like M Dayanand, have been affected by the reduced number of buses on the roads. Students especially have been facing difficulties getting to their classes, either having to skip them or pay more for alternative transportation like autorickshaws. The autorickshaws are also taking advantage of the situation by charging higher fares.
RTC officials have acknowledged the inconvenience caused to students and other passengers, but reassured that there will not be a severe shortage of buses. They have asked for cooperation from city passengers as the buses are needed for special operations related to the Medaram Jathara.
The Medaram Jathara is expected to attract around 30 lakh devotees, and besides RTC buses, special train services have been arranged to help facilitate transportation from various districts of Telangana during the festival period.
