SRIKAKULAM: All the buses from the five depots in the district were diverted to Rajahmundry accommodating Pushkaram pilgrims Saturday afternoon. The RTC authorities ferried hundreds of pilgrims by 468 buses, waiting desperately to catch a bus at the RTC depots since Friday night, to Rajahmundry. The RTC did not ply even one bus on any route within the district Saturday. The Pushkaram pilgrims were caught in a cleft stick since they could neither return nor go to Rajahmundry. The woes of pilgrims multiplied as there were no proper train services at Srikakulam Road railway station as well.
Moreover, The buses which left for Rajahmundry did not return and as they were stranded in heavy traffic. The devotees turned furious as RTC authorities expressed helplessness. The RTC drew flak from the people who questioned it for diverting all the buses from the district to the Pushkarams.
“RTC should have made alternative arrangements, instead of claiming that their buses were caught in traffic snarls,” said Rama Rao, a passenger.
Reacting to the situation, deputy CTM K.Srinivasa Rao said that, the authority had to immediately divert all the buses to Rajahmundry to clear the pilgrim rush. “200 buses which started from Rajahmundry to Srikakulam were stranded midway which led to this scenario, added Srinivasa Rao.
Meanwhile, cashing in on the situation, the private transporters are charging thrice or four times the normal fare. Another passenger Srinivas opined that in the next one or two days if the Railways increases train services to Rajahmundry, pressure on the RTC buses could be eased out.