Sankranti Rush Builds Up at Airports, Bus and Railway Stations in AP
APSRTC authorities have cancelled leaves of their staff across their offices in the state to ensure that all hands are available for clearing the passenger rush.
Vijayawada: Passenger rush is increasing at all major bus and railway stations and airports across Andhra Pradesh, as people are rushing to their villages from their work places, mainly located in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai. Many are coming from overseas to celebrate the Sankranti festival with their family members, relatives and friends.
As the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is operating 8,432 special services at regular fares for the festival from several parts within the state and from neighbouring metros, a large number of passengers are gathering at bus stations to reach their destinations.
APSRTC authorities have cancelled leaves of their staff across their offices in the state to ensure that all hands are available for clearing the passenger rush. They have deployed staff to ensure water supply and sanitation at the bus station premises, including toilets. Police have increased their vigilance to check thieves and anti-social elements.
APSRTC executive director (Operations) A. Appala Raju said, “The rush of passengers at Vijayawada bus station has started picking up. Passengers having advance plans have reserved their tickets. Last minute travellers too are rushing to reservation counters and getting their tickets booked. We are ready to operate even more special services for the benefit of passengers.”
Major railway stations too are witnessing a huge rush of passengers who want to reach their destinations. Trains are running packed to their capacity, mainly at Vijayawada, Guntur, Eluru, Rajahmundry up to Visakhapatnam. South Central Railway authorities are operating nearly 150 special trains in which Vijayawada division alone is operating around 94 special trains from January 8 to January 21.
Railway authorities have advised passengers to book their tickets, including platform tickets, through apps on their mobile phones to avoid long queues at the railway stations.
Airports, mainly in Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, are also witnessing a rush of passengers to reach their home villages. They include passengers from overseas catching domestic flights in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai to reach their homes. Airfares are dynamic with last minute bookings having a higher price tag.
People travelling in their personal vehicles, mainly from Hyderabad and parts of Telangana, are facing a tough task with the national highway connecting Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam running to its full capacity. The toll plazas at Keesara, Pathangi, Korlaphadu, Chilakallu, Pottipadu, Kalaparru, Veeravalli, Krishnavaram, Vempadu and Agnampudi are getting jammed with vehicles, with fastags of some vehicles failing to get scanned in the first instance or having insufficient amount in balance.
Vijayawada NHAI project director M. Vidya Sagar said, “With more vehicles from Hyderabad towards Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, we have increased the number of toll lanes by reducing the lanes towards the Hyderabad side.
NHAI project director (Gundugollu-Anakapalli) Krishna Murthy said, “We are taking all requisite measures to avoid vehicles getting held up by collecting the charges quickly. We are not allowing vehicles to park near toll plazas and checking vendors from blocking spaces on national highways.”