Railways, RTC, Airport Gear Up For Dasara Rush

Railway and bus stations and the Shamshabad airport are witnessing a surge in passenger traffic ahead of Dasara. The South Central Railway (SCR) said it had arranged around 700 special trains during October and November, the TGSRTC is gearing up to operate additional buses, while Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has advised passengers to plan their journeys in advance, anticipating heavy traffic over the festive weekend.

Secunderabad railway station, which usually handles over 1.1 lakh passengers daily, is witnessing nearly 1.5 lakh passengers daily now even as redevelopment works continue. The daily footfall at Nampally station ranges from 25,000 to 30,000, Kacheguda from 44,000 to 55,000 and Charlapalli from 35,000 to 50,000.

Railway officials said crowd management arrangements had been made at major stations to ensure passenger safety and prevent overcrowding on platforms and foot overbridges.

At Secunderabad station, a queue system has been introduced for heavily crowded trains to ensure orderly boarding. Four designated holding areas, with a combined capacity of 1,750 to 2,000 passengers, have been created to manage the rush.

Help desks have been set up at Platforms 1 and 10 to provide information on trains, platforms and special services.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have been deployed at entry and exit gates, booking offices, waiting halls and other critical points. Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel and home guards have also been stationed at sensitive locations.

Quick Response Teams will remain on standby, with railway officials coordinating with local police and the district administration to handle emergencies.

Meanwhile, the TGSRTC is planning around 7,000 additional bus services during the festive season to accommodate passengers travelling to their hometowns, particularly on Friday and Saturday.

According to RTC officials, 2,474 special bus services were operated between October 9 and 14, achieving 94.07 per cent of the target.

The Hyderabad zone operated 682 buses against a target of 860. Medak region exceeded its target with 123.15 per cent, followed by Nalgonda at 79.70 per cent, Mahbubnagar at 70.17 per cent and Rangareddy at 37.74 per cent.

RTC officials said 227 additional buses were deployed in Greater Hyderabad to meet an unexpected surge in passenger demand.

With air passenger traffic also expected to increase over the weekend, RGIA authorities have advised travellers to reach the airport well ahead of their scheduled departures, allowing sufficient time for check-in and security formalities. Passengers have also been advised to plan their journeys to and from the airport, using app-based cabs, prepaid taxis, car rentals or the Pushpak Luxury Airport Liner to avoid last-minute inconvenience.