Chaos reigns, commuters chagrined

Citizens are the worst hit as the RTC strike entered its fifth day. For bus pass holders needing to buy tickets, waiting time has increased manifold; Metro services are packed, and auto rickshaws and cab aggregators are making the most of the situation.

At Kacheguda, Secunderabad and Nampally railway stations, policemen are conspicuous by their absence, who in the past would help passengers at the auto stands. Here is a lowdown of the effect the strike has on citizens

AT JUBILEE BUS STAND

The travel plans of passengers on Wednesday, especially those returning to Hyderabad from districts like Warangal, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Siddipet, were facing hardships due to cancellation of the bus services. Mahesh who was travelling from Karimnagar to JBS said, "I had to wait for three hours." Officials said that few private drivers and conductors showed up owing to the festival.

S Praneeth, Depot Manager, Jubilee Bus Stand, said, "We are pooling in every resource that is available. Due to the unavailability of operators for the entire fleet of buses the passengers would be facing some problems." On am average, the Jubilee Bus Stand operates 69 buses (53 RTC buses and 13 private buses) every day across the State. Since the first day of strike on Saturday, the JBS has deployed around 165 buses compared to 345 in the five days.

AT MGBS

As the Employees' Union JAC of TSRTC remain in strike from October 5, over 10,000 buses continue to be confined to bus depots. The RTC could make only 30 per cent of the buses operational with hired drivers in Greater Hyderabad Region.

The city's major and busiest bus stand, the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) wore a deserted look. With around 1,700 service buses being operated in normal days from Hyderabad region's 17 depots, have been reduced to less than half. "30% of buses are running in the region with hired drivers and conductors", said Khusro Shah Khan, Regional Manager, MGBS. On the first day of strike, 20 per cent of buses including some hired buses were run.

The buses were increased on the 2nd and the 3rd days of the strike owing to festive season by 29 per cent, but it dropped on Tuesday by 14 per cent. On the 5th day of strike on Wednesday till 3 pm, a total of 494 buses including hired buses were running in the region, Khan added.

AT KACHEGUDA RLY STN

Where are RPF cops?

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel help passengers find autos but on Wednesday they were none. Passengers were inconvenienced as auto drivers charged a bomb. R Raghavendra," a sub-inspector, RPF, Kachiguda, said, "We have 15 police officers who work in shifts but many are on leave. We are helpless." 

AT SECUNDERABAD RAILWAY STATION

Passengers left to their fate

V Ravi, a sub-inspector, said that many were on leave till October 11. "We are trying our level best to control the crowd and also guide them. Suresh Babu, who came to Secunderabad from Madurai, for an eye-check-up at L V Prasad Eye Institute Hospital, said, "I came here for the first time and don't know anyone here and there is no one in the station to guide me." "After eight years I have come to Secunderabad from Srikakulam. For 30 minutes I was looking for help but there was no one at the help desk," said Venkatesh, a passenger from Srikakulam at Secunderabad Railway Station.

Auto drivers raking it in

Kalyani, an employee in Karnataka Bank, Begumpet said, For ECIL to Patny auto drivers charge Rs 250 instead of Rs 150." What is more, even share autos have hiked the fare. The usual fare of Rs 10 and 20 has now been increased to Rs 20 and more. 

More waiting at Metro trains

One usually does not have to wait for more than four minutes for a metro train, but on Wednesday, passengers in some stations had to wait for close to 15 minutes. "I travel everyday from Chaithanyapuri to Jubliee Hills. I had to wait for 15 minutes to get our train. I never faced this before but since two days, the frequency of trains has reduced, "said Sudha M, Supervisor, Dominos. Another passenger, Sravanthi, Associate Operations, HCL shared, "The train stopped for seven minutes on the way between Hi-Tec City and Nagole. Technical glitches need to be addressed. This is a busy route."