As schools reopen, life turns chaotic in strike-hit Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: With educational institutions reopening on Monday after the extended Dasara vacation, both students and teachers had a tough time reaching their destination, with a majority of RTC buses off the streets. The handful of plying RTC buses failed to meet the sudden spike in demand from students to reach their schools and colleges. The buses, which were few and far in between, had passengers packed like sardines in them. Students and other youngsters stood hanging from the footboard -- with most of them having placed only one foot on the bus.
Up until 3 pm, Hyderabad had only 826 buses for the commute of over 30 lakh people, as almost 60% of the RTC bus fleet was off the roads. Hyderabad has a fleet of close to 3,000 buses, which was already inadequate for a growing city. Students were delayed by many hours due to the non-availability of even private transport options like cabs and autos due to the high demand.
The scenario forced many to bring out their own vehicle, resulting in the city roads bursting at their seams trying to accommodate them. The worst-hit was the Secunderabad-Begumpet stretch, as several schools and colleges operate on this road.
One more RTC driver tries to commit suicide
KARIMNAGAR: In yet another suicide attempt by a TSRTC employee, a driver of the Karimnagar depot tried to set himself ablaze here on Monday. The suicide bid was foiled by his colleagues and the police who were on picketing duty during the protests. The driver had doused himself with petrol and tried to light a fire. The driver, Jampanna, was shifted to police station
Begumpet Metro closed during peak hours
HYDERABAD: Metro rail commuters at the Begumpet station were in for a shock on Monday, as they found the station closed during the peak hours, due to ‘security reasons’. The station was shut down early Monday morning and was reopened only after around 11 am. Many commuters were forced to get down at other stations
Metro hits new record footfall of 4 lakh passengers
HYDERABAD: As the schools reopened after the extended Dasara holidays, Hyderabad Metro witnessed a record footfall of over four lakh passengers. NVS Reddy, HMRL MD, said, "The highest crowd was noticed at Hitech City metro station and Ameerpet metro station. Extra 120 trips were ferried."