RTC buses taken away for BRS rally, passengers put to hardships in Warangal

Warangal: Bus passengers faced a difficult time with the diversion of a large number of RTC buses to transport people to the mega BRS rally in Khammam district on Wednesday.

People from the Maripeda, Dornakal, Mahabubabad, Narsampet, Warangal and Hanamkonda who were returning to their work-places after the Sankranti festivities got stranded in erstwhile Warangal district due to the abrupt cancellation of the bus services.

The rally was organised by the BRS as the first mega event to mark the formation of the new ‘national party’. BRS leaders mobilised thousands of people from areas in and adjoining Khammam district for the rally. RTC buses were mostly used for their transport to and from the venue.

Some 300 of the total 900 buses in the nine bus depots of Warangal were hired -- from Mahabubabad, Narsampet, Parkala, Bhupalpally, Thorrur, Jangaon and Hanamkonda as also Warangal-1 and 2 bus depots.

Students, farmers, government employees, people returning to their workplaces after the Sankranti festival from Mahabubabad, Maripeda and Dornakal waited for hours at the bus stand for buses to ferry them to their destinations.

The RTC regional manager Srilatha said, “For the past two days, there has been a huge rush of passengers at several bus stands. Many of those who went to their native places during the Sankranti festival were returning. This was the main problem on Wednesday. “

The RTC is earning more than ₹1.5 crore a day from its passenger services. ”The RTC gave only 300 buses for the BRS event. The remaining 600 buses were operated. From tomorrow, the bus services will be as usual for the passengers,” she stated.