HYDERABAD: The recently-launched Vajra bus service by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, which promised to deliver cab-like doorstep-service, has failed to yield the desired result and officials are finding it strenuous to promote the service among commuters. “When we realised that commuters are not booking tickets through the app, we started issuing tickets on board and introduced buses to various places. Yet, the seat occupancy ratio is not increasing,” said a senior official.
According to passengers who travelled on Vajra buses, most of the drivers are not familiar with routes to places such as Warangal and Nizamabad, which is leading to increases in the travel time. “I travelled on a Vajra bus soon after the launch of the service and the driver had no idea about Warangal route. They had been trained months ago and were asked suddenly to take charge. The journey time was more than the usual and seating was not comfortable. I haven’t travelled on a Vajra bus again,” said Rana Ashish Chauhan, a city-based IAS aspirant. The corporation sayss that there are 81 pick-up and drop points in Warangal and 121 in Hyderabad for Vajra buses.