The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has announced plans to operate 7,000 special buses for Dasara, with additional services from Hyderabad and districts expected to manage heavy passenger movement on October 9, 10, 16 and 17. The corporation has also planned return services on October 25 and 26.
According to the report by Deccan Chronicle, the special services will be deployed from major passenger hubs in Hyderabad, including MGBS, JBS, Uppal’s Nalla Cheruvu, Aramgarh, LB Nagar Cross Roads, KPHB, Boynpally and Gachibowli. The services are intended to connect passengers travelling to destinations within Telangana and other states during the festival period.
TGSRTC said passenger demand is expected to be particularly high on the four festival travel dates. The corporation has also made arrangements for the return journey on October 25 and 26, when people are expected to travel back after the holidays. It said buses would be brought back quickly to congested routes even when return services had low passenger occupancy, in order to reduce inconvenience on busy corridors.
The report lists special-bus allocations from several operating areas. It states that 3,533 buses will operate from the Karimnagar zone, 431 from Adilabad, 719 from Nizamabad, 1,175 from Karimnagar, 530 from Warangal, 678 from Khammam and 2,155 from Hyderabad. It also lists 645 services from Mahabubnagar, 255 from Medak, 815 from Nalgonda, 440 from Rangareddy and 1,312 special services from the Greater Hyderabad zone.
However, these figures add up to 12,688 buses, which does not match the headline figure of 7,000 special buses stated in the same report. The supplied material does not clarify whether some zonal figures overlap, refer to trips rather than buses, or contain a reporting error. TGSRTC should clarify the final number and the basis of the district-wise allocation before the figures are treated as confirmed.
The corporation has revised fares for special buses to up to 1.5 times the regular ticket price. The revised fares will apply only to special services operating on October 9, 10, 16 and 17, and on October 25 and 26. Normal fares will continue on regular buses.
Under the state government’s Mahalaxmi scheme, free bus travel for women will continue on Palle Velugu, Express, City Ordinary and Metro Express services, including regular and special buses operating for Dasara, according to the report. Passengers seeking information about special services have been advised to contact the TGSRTC call centre on 040-69440000 or 040-23450033.
