Hyderabad: Lakhs of people headed to their native places from Hyderabad in all available modes of transport for 'Sankranti' festival to be celebrated on Tuesday.
Bus and railway stations in the city have been witnessing massive rush of people as they jostled for space in the buses and trains heading to various districts, mainly Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, to reach their ancestral homes for the three-day harvest festival of Sankranti, beginning January 14.
The number of special trains and buses, in addition to the regular services, arranged by the authorities were turning out to be inadequate in view of the heavy rush of passengers.
Scores of people were still waiting at the different bus and railway stations in the city to board a bus or train.
Security personnel had to intervene to ensure that no untoward incident take place at the bus and railway stations.
The South Central Railway here had already announced operating about 110 special trains and generation of over 40,000 additional berths to handle the heavy rush during the festive season.
The state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) was also operating special services to clear the heavy rush of passengers.
In the wake of massive road mishap involving a luxury bus in Mahabubnagar district in October in which over 40 people were burnt alive, the transport department is cracking down on private buses operating on long distance routes for various violations of laws.
The Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway witnessed a massive rush of cars with thousands of people travelling to their native places in Coastal Andhra.
Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan also conveyed his greetings to the people on the eve of Sankranti.
"I pray to God that the state will prosper radiating happiness, peace and tranquality all over," he said in a message. The Governor also conveyed his greetings on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi.
Next: AP CM Kiran greets people on eve of Makar Sankranti festival
AP CM Kiran greets people on eve of Makar Sankranti festival
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday wished prosperity and happiness to people of the state and Telugus living elsewhere on the eve of Makar Sankranti festival.
The festival will be celebrated on Tuesday.
The chief minister said in his message that Sankranti symbolises Telugu culture and traditions. Reddy also recalled that the state was adjudged best in the 'state of the states' survey conducted by a reputed media group. He said dues worth Rs 9,000 were pending when he took over as chief minister, but the situation has improved by taking some tough decisions.
In addition to continuing old welfare schemes, new ones have been introduced, the chief minister said in a release. YSR Congress Party and BJP too have conveyed their greetings to the people for the harvest festival.
In his greetings, YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy wished that Makar Sankranti heralded peace, prosperity, happiness to the people, especially agriculturists.
State unit BJP president G. Kishan Reddy said in his message that Sankranti symbolises the culture of Telugu people and wished a positive change in people's life.
In Andhra Pradesh, the first day of the three-day festival is marked as 'Bhogi' on which the traditional bonfire is lit early in the mornings, followed by 'Sankranti' on the second day whereas the final day is 'Kanuma' when cattle are specially decorated.
