Bus Operators, Parking Contractor Clash At Secunderabad Over Rs 1,000 Fee For Pick And Drop

Hyderabad:Tourist bus operators on Monday staged a protest at Secunderabad railway station after a private parking contractor demanded an unexpected ₹1,000 fee for dropping and picking up passengers at Platform 10.

Operator Mohammed Saleem said he was surprised when staff refused to allow his coach to exit without paying even after a stop-and-go halt. “There is normally no charge for drop and go,” he explained. Saleem alerted the Hyderabad‑Secunderabad Tourist Bus Owners Association, who confronted the contractor, Yella Swamy Goud.

Following heated discussions, the dispute was temporarily resolved, although Goud did not comment. Association representatives pointed out that their standard fare for a pick-up and drop was ₹2,500 — leaving them with little margin if forced to pay ₹1,000 to the parking operator. They decried fines imposed by traffic police when buses stop outside the station, arguing these penalties further erode their earnings.

The association has urged the parking contractor and authorities to adopt a fairer fee structure and allow uninterrupted, safe movement of tourist coaches.