HYDERABAD: Even as flight cancellations by IndiGo continued for a fourth day, the South Central Railway (SCR) and the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) moved to ease passenger movement on Saturday.
A total of 144 services were cancelled by IndiGo, including 26 arrivals and 43 departures in Hyderabad, leaving many travellers stranded at the RGIA and seeking alternative transport.
SCR arranged additional trains on high-demand routes to Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi.
Likewise, TGSRTC, working with GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, started buses from the RGIA to support those displaced by the cancellations.
SCR officials told TNIE the special services could carry over 4,000 passengers. The Cherlapalli-Shalimar Special (07148) with 1,566 AC, sleeper and general seats left at 9.35 pm on Saturday.
Special services announced for Chennai, Mumbai
Accordingly, the Secunderabad-Chennai Egmore Special (07146) departed at 6.40 pm with space for 1,063 passengers and is due to reach Chennai at 8 am on Sunday.
The Hyderabad-Mumbai LTT Special (07150) departed at 8.25 pm, offering 1,080 AC three-tier berths and is expected to arrive on Sunday afternoon. To meet demand, SCR also announced Hyderabad-Hadapsar-Hyderabad services. Train number 07167 will leave Hyderabad at 8.25 pm on Sunday and reach Hadapsar at 5 pm on Monday. The return service (07168) will leave Hadapsar at 7 pm on Monday and arrive in Hyderabad at 4.45 pm on Tuesday. Both will halt at Secunderabad, Nizamabad, Nanded, Purna, Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Manmad.
Bookings have opened for Cherlapalli-Shalimar Special (07181), scheduled at 9.35 pm on December 7. Further Cherlapalli-Shalimar-Cherlapalli services may be added depending on patronage.
Buses leave for AP, B’luru
Officials noted that several long-distance trains from Bengaluru to Delhi, Kolkata and Pune, passing through Telangana stations, remain available for those seeking alternatives.
Meanwhile, two TGSRTC sleeper buses left on Saturday afternoon from the Arrival Ramp near Pillar No. 8, one to Chennai at 2.30 pm at `2,110 per passenger, and another to Bengaluru at 2.45 pm at `1,670. Additional services to Rajahmundry, Kakinada and Visakhapatnam began from Zone D after 6 pm.
Passengers were advised to use the special rail and bus services as delays linked to IndiGo continued.