Hyderabad: Years after surrounding areas were added to make the city Greater Hyderabad, the newly developed areas are yet to get any public transport. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation has failed to cash in on the demand for public transport in many areas including Falaknuma, Bandlaguda, Katedan, Vattepally, Nagaram, Mallapur, Sainikpuri, and Yapral.
Some areas, like the one adjacent to High Tension Road in Sainikpuri, have no bus facility at all, while in several other areas like Vattepally, Enginebowli, and Gulshan Colony, the frequency of service is low.
Mr P. Damodar Rao of Classic Enclave says, “We have to depend on cabs or autos or personal vehicles to reach the nearest bus stop. We even end up walking all those miles.”
Mr Kishore K, a software engineer residing at Gulshan Colony, says buses in his area ply only on main roads. "It is difficult for people working in software companies to reach the main road. They have to share autos or buy a lift, or book a cab directly,” he says.
Ms Sameera Afreen, the depot manager of Falaknuma, says that services were stopped on Routes No. 87 and 82 a few years ago “because we could not get enough revenue from them. For every kilometre, the travel expense is Rs 54, but we were unable to earn it. So in that scenario we stopped the services. Also, there was no representation from the public for resuming the services.”
The lack of public transport is not only in the Old City but also in Nagaram, Mallapur and other areas. Ms Hima Bindu, an MBA student who lives in Yapral says, "Population has grown immensely in these areas, but the bus service is still a far-fetched dream.”
