Hyderabad: Despite the strike, the RTC ran about 650 buses out of the 3,500 that normally operate in the city. Most of them ran empty, as passengers couldn’t depend on their schedules.
Hyderabad Metro Rail deployed six additional trains that made 100 trips in addition to the regular 270. HMRL said it increased the frequency to three minutes during peak hours and five minutes at other times but the trains were jampacked. As many as 3.65 lakh commuters had taken metro, the highest so far, against the daily footfall of 2.5 lakhs.
Sharing his experience, Mr K. Vikyath, a commuter, said it was a nightmare to travel on trains.
He said the frequency of trains was between five and 11 minutes on the Ameerpet-Hitec City corridor.
Ms Sarvani Rao said travelling in coaches reserved for women became extremely difficult as several men cited the rush and entered the space. “Security turned a blind eye even though the train travelled through main stations like Ameerpet, Begumpet and Parade Grounds,” she said. The coaches were so crowded that the AC was ineffectual.
HMRL managing director N.V.S. Reddy said that almost all stations saw more commuters, but the crowd was manageable and would remain so on Sunday. He said that if the strike continued, Monday would be a challenge. He said additional special teams and extra personnel will be mobilised.
