In a recent survey, Visakhapatnam has been found to be the most populated city in Andhra Pradesh. With the number of citizens increasing at a colossal rate, the people in the city are expecting safe and comfortable modes of public transport. But, in some places in the city, the public transport, especially the RTC bus facility, is being termed as a parade of horribles.
There is nothing new to know about the risk of doing a bus journey while hanging on the footboards. We consider it to be dangerous and advice many about travel safety. But, what if there is no option as only one bus is travelling between two destinations at the time of necessary? Such a scenario is what the people are facing in some areas of the city. Around 300 students travel every day from Pendurthi Junction towards Tagarapuvalasa and Bheemili in Visakhapatnam to attend engineering and polytechnic colleges. The 888K bus from Gajuwaka travelling through Pendurthi, Anandapuram, and Tagarapuvalasa reaches Pendurthi at 7:10 am in the morning. To make sure that they do not miss out on classes, the students board the crowded bus and travel for more than an hour hanging outside. Same is the case with 900 K bus travelling from RTC Complex to Bheemili.
The case inside the bus is not safer too. While 50 of the passengers hang outside, 100 of them travel congested inside. the women complain about suffocation as the buses travel crowded for a very long time.
Generally, the bus pass to travel between the mentioned routes is Rs 400 for three months. But, Rs 1100 is being charged from the travellers towards Bheemili on extension reasons. Though thousands of rupees are being charged, people are complaining about RTC’s negligence.
Sometimes, the drivers halt the buses to suppress hanging from the board. The students get into an argument with them. On asking about increasing the number of buses, ” You have applied for the bus pass at the Maddilapalem Depo, why should we increase the number of buses?”, is what the drivers from the other depos are questioning back.
The parents of the students are demanding for the increase of buses to avoid any kind of road hazards and to have a safe and comfortable journey.
