The Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) is chock-a-block with people travelling in different directions to reach home for Sankranthi festival. A steady influx of commuters is spilling over to the open spaces, as all the platforms are jam-packed with the travelling crowd.
The mood is upbeat among officials at the helm of the public sector transport giant with the unusual rush seen at all times of the day. “Over and above the booked services, we are operating 40% additional buses in the main corridors as demand is very high between Vijayawada and places like Rajamahendravaram, Amalapuram, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Ongole and Nellore,” said the Corporation’s Executive Director (Operations), A. Koteswara Rao.
Besides the 6,795 special buses that were proposed to be operated by the Corporation, officials are responding to the sudden spurt in the demand after educational institutions declared holidays. “The travelling crowd comprises a large number of home-bound students,” he said.
From Hyderabad towards various destinations in Andhra Pradesh, the demand has doubled. “We are operating 800 special buses against the planned 400 buses,” said Mr. Koteswara Rao, explaining that the high demand for free bus services being offered by the Telangana government under “Mahalakshmi’ scheme and the exorbitant bus fares collected by the private bus operators had come handy for the APSRTC to make the best of the opportunity.
The APSRTC has deployed 200 officials and staff on key routes to ensure smooth operation of the special services. “Of them, 40 are managers who have sound knowledge of the key routes,” said Mr. Koteswara Rao.
Trains full
Almost all the trains were seen packed and heavy rush was witnessed on the platforms in Vijayawada and other railway stations in the State on Friday.
A day before Sankranthi, reservation to many trains was closed. The Indian Railways has announced special trains to various destinations.
Traffic jams were witnessed at the toll gates and on the junctions on National Highways, from Hyderabad towards Vijayawada, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam and Nellore. Many people were seen coming in cars as buses and trains were running packed.
With the software employees getting holidays from Saturday, many people were seen coming to their native villages from Hyderabad and Chennai to celebrate the festival.
“I am working in a software company in Hyderabad. I got holidays for three days, including the weekend and I applied leave for two more days for Sankranthi. I am coming to Tadepalligudem, my native village,” said G. Durga Prasad.
Serpentine queues were seen at the ticket counters in the railway stations. Trains coming from Hyderabad towards Vijayawada, Eluru, Tanuku, Tadepalligudem, Rajahmundry, Bhimavaram, Tuni and Visakhapatnam were running packed on Friday.
“My son is working in a private company at Chennai. We celebrate the harvest festival on a grand scale with my family and friends every year,” says a farmer, V. Basavaraju, who came to Vijayawada for purchasing garments to his family.
Meanwhile, the police stepped up security on the National Highway in view of the increased traffic.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police intensified patrolling on trains and on the platforms to prevent thefts, snatching and robberies on railway premises.
