HYDERABAD: For lakhs of Telugu families, Sankranti marks a return home. As the annual homecoming gathers pace, Telangana’s transport network is gearing up for one of its busiest periods of the year, even as passengers grapple with ticket shortages and soaring private fares.
With the festival approaching, lakhs are booking tickets to travel from Hyderabad to their native towns and villages. Anticipating the surge, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has announced its largest-ever festive operation, significantly scaling up services to manage the rush.
This year, TGSRTC plans to operate 6,431 buses during the Sankranti season, up from 5,408 last year. Officials said heavy passenger movement is expected from January 9, coinciding with the second Saturday and Sunday, when travel traditionally peaks.
Special services will operate from major city bus stations to destinations across Andhra Pradesh, including Amalapuram, Kakinada, Narasapuram, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Polavaram, Guntur, Chirala and Vijayawada, to ease congestion and reduce waiting times.
Of the total services planned, around 800 buses have already been earmarked for online booking, with more likely to be added as demand intensifies. Nearly 85% of online seats have already been booked, reflecting the scale of the rush, officials pointed out.
325 special trains announced
Rail travel has offered limited relief, with reservations on most regular trains fully booked well in advance. With confirmed tickets scarce and private road travel turning increasingly expensive, options for passengers remain constrained.
To ease the pressure, the South Central Railway has announced the operation of more than 325 special trains between January 7 and 18 from Hyderabad, Cherlapally and Vikarabad to major destinations in Andhra Pradesh.
Steep fare hike
Even before peak travel begins, private bus operators have come under fire for steep fare hikes. Tickets from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, which usually cost Rs 500 to Rs 700, are now being sold for Rs 2,700 to Rs 4,000 during the Sankranti period. Fares to Visakhapatnam have risen from around Rs 1,000 to as high as Rs 5,000, depending on the operator.
Commuters have also complained that several private operators are charging differential rates based on seat location, with front-row seats priced significantly higher than others.
With heavy congestion expected on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway, the Telangana government has urged the Centre to grant a temporary waiver of toll fees during the festive period. Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, seeking exemption from toll charges on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada route from January 9 to 14 and on the Vijayawada–Hyderabad stretch from January 16 to 18.
If approved, the move is expected to benefit lakhs of motorists travelling between the two Telugu states, reducing long queues at toll plazas and easing traffic congestion. Officials said a toll waiver would allow vehicles to pass through without stopping.