RTC to operate special bus services for Maha Sivaratri

Tirupati: On the occasion of Maha Sivaratri, the major Hindu religious festival, the APSRTC Tirupati region, will operate special bus services for the convenience of devotees to visit various pilgrim centres in the district. The bus services will be operated to seven holy places including Srikalahasti, Talakona, Kailasakona, Moolakona, Gudimallam, Sadasivakona and Avathi in the district, according to district public transport officer T Chengal Reddy. In a statement here on Friday, Chengal Reddy said the bus services will be operated for three days, a day before the festival (85 trips), on Sivaratri day (194 trips) and the next day (135 trips) with a total trip of 414 to the seven sacred places. The buses will be operated from Tirupati, Mangalam, Srikalahasthi, Puttur and Satyavedu bus depots and with the special buses the RTC plans to mobilise a revenue of Rs 53 lakh. Senior officers, who were involved in the operation of special buses, will ensure all required arrangements including providing

adequate number of TIMs (ticket issuing machines) to the bus crew, also engaging officers and supervisors at all bus stations and camps to monitor the smooth operation of bus services without any delay and food arrangements to running and supportive staff, facilities

like drinking water and sanitation at all bus stations. Special teams will also be set up to check illicit operation of private transport services, which are denting income of RTC, Reddy said, adding that TTIs (checking staff) will also be deployed to discharge duties like traffic clearance, assist camp managers and also conduct regular checkups to avoid ticketless travel in the special buses.