Hyderabad: To ensure ease of travel for the people of Old City, the Congress government is taking steps to relaunch TSRTC bus services that were suspended between Teegalkunta and Charminar. Trial runs were conducted on Tuesday, January 30, in various areas to ensure smooth service operations.
Buses running between Teegalkunta and Charminar were suspended by the TSRTC after a survey which showed low passenger occupancy and continuing the services was considered economically unfeasible for the state government.
TSRTC bus services connecting localities like Bagh-e-Jahara, SRT Colony, Yakutpura, Tallabkatta, Vattepally, Bibi-ka-Chasma, Nawab Sahib Kunta, Teegalkunta, Kalapather, Ghousenagar, Wadi-e-Omer, Wadi-e-Mustafa, Bismillah Colony, and Shaheennagar with the core areas of the city like Charminar, Koti and Afzalgunj were discontinued during Covid lockdown in 2019. The authorities failed to resume the services.
TSRTC officials had also stated that roads in the areas are narrow and buses cause frequent traffic jams, adding that minibuses were diverted to other routes in the city and some were scrapped because of “wear and tear”.
The officials assured that if the government can provide new buses, services to Teegalkunta and Charminar would be resumed.
Private transport, particularly sharing auto rickshaws, which cover the routes have been charging high fares, which lower-middle-class families can barely afford. A local resident, who commutes between Vattepally and Charminar said that he paid at least Rs 25 for travelling in an auto rickshaw one way.
