Hyderabad: A Deserted Look in City as Locals Rush to Native Places for Voting

Hyderabad: Several city roads wore a deserted look on Sunday with many people heading to AP to cast their vote in the May 13 state Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

The only roads that were buzzing were those leading to highways including the one towards Vijayawada, bus and railway stations and pick-up points of buses that ply to districts in Andhra Pradesh.

On Sunday evening too, crowds with packed bags heading to AP were spotted at Secunderabad where buses going to AP stop. The situation was much the same at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) bus station, Miyapur and Chandanagar. Several people also boarded their bus at the Lakdikapul, Dilsukhnagar and LB Nagar.

The TSRTC said that it had operated an additional 140 buses to the fleet of 590 special buses on Sunday between Hyderabad and Vijayawada to cater to the rush, adding another 3,000 seats. The management has ordered officials to keep buses available by factoring in the passenger rush.

A similar rush was witnessed at railway stations in Kacheguda and Secunderabad in the main. South Central Railway is also running ‘election specials’ to AP.

Some people heading to the locations in the AP which are around six hours away also started for home in cars in the evening.

Deccan Chronicle had reported that traffic had jammed at the Pathangi toll plaza on the Vijayawada highway and about 40,000 vehicles were reported to have crossed the point on Saturday.

A resident from Road No. 10, Jubilee Hills, said that he had started at around 9 pm from the city on Sunday along with his family to Vijayawada and would return before the offices open on Tuesday.