RTC in Adilabad dt incurs Rs 4.50 cr loss due to rains

M Manthaiah

Adilabad: Due to breaches to rivers, streams, tanks, and damage of roads to the length of 600 kms in Adilabad district during the past two months, the road connectivity to about 200 villages was badly affected. As the roads were damaged, RTC buses could not be plied to the rain affected villages for more than a month. The RTC division in Adilabad district has incurred a loss of Rs 4.50 cr during the past two months.

Adilabad, Bhainsa, Mancherial, Nirmal, Asifabad, and Utnoor towns have RTC depots and the fleet strength of buses is 571 in the depots. On an average, these buses ply 2.29 lakh kms per day commuting 1.50 lakh people to various destinations. Heavy inflows into Godavari, Pranahita and Penganga caused damage to the roads in the eastern part of the district. Nearly 60 buses were confined to depots at Mancherial, Asifabad and Bellampalli depots. Transportation facilities suffered a setback in several villages in these mandals. Muthadi Vagu, Bathukamma Vagu and Neelvai Vagu were in spate and they damaged the roads. RTC stopped its services to nearly 100 villages in Vemanapalli, Kotapalli, Bejjuru, Dahegaon and Koutala mandals.

Especially in Bejjur mandal, buses were not plied to 30 villages for more than a month. People are taking the help of private vehicles – auto-rickshaws, vans, country boats and other means--- for their daily travel needs. Road connectivity was disrupted to Thummedihatti and other 14 villages in Kautala mandal. Road linkage between Asifabad and Chandrapur and Ballahrsha (both in Maharashtra) was disconnected as Penganga has been overflowing the bridge on Maharashtra border. RTC buses are not plying to 20 villages in Kagaznagar Assembly constituency as rains caused damage to roads in the villages.