Heatwave hits public transport

Nalgonda: The increasing temperatures are affecting the revenue collections of the public transport systems, which include TSRTC, taxi cabs and the local auto rickshaws. During the last ten days, the people of the district are facing immense hardships with the steep rise in the mercury levels and the heat wave. It has become even more severe, especially during the last three days.

The district almost has become a frying pan and the people are scared to come out of their houses. The roads are being deserted between 11am and 5 pm. As a result, the transport services were getting severely affected. The district TSRTC has seven depots at Nalgonda, Suryapet, Miryalaguda, Devarakonda, Narketpally, Kodad, Yadagirigutta and 743 buses of these depots are rendering services to ferry the passengers to their destination.

For the last three days, the Occupancy Ratio (OR) in the TSRTC buses has fallen drastically. As per the official records, on April 13, the average occupancy ratio of seven depots was 68.30, on April 14 it was 64.10 per cent, and on April 15, the average of the seven depots fell to 52 percent.

Speaking to The Hans India on Saturday, the officials concerned informed that the increased temperatures made a severe impact on the revenue collections of the TSRTC. They said that the passengers were willing to travel only before 11am and after 6 pm between these timings. In spite of the hot temperatures, the marriage season is preventing the TSRTC from incurring losses.

On auspicious days and during Krishna Pushkarams to be started during the third week of August, the number of passengers travelling in buses would definitely increase, the officials said. District TSRTC Deputy Chief Traffic Manager Madhusudhan said that people were facing hardships with the increased temperatures and the heat waves since last two weeks.

Marriage season in April month helped the district RTC to attain average an Occupancy Ratio of 69.47. He further informed that if the temperature had not been touched 45 degrees C, the district bus depots average OR would have been increased by another 4 percent.
Apart from TSRTC, the private taxis are also facing the same problem.

60 per cent of taxis in the district are not leaving the stands as the customers are not showing interest in hiring them. There are 10,000 taxis plying in the district but the owners are incurring losses. A cab driver, Krishnaiah of Chouttuppal, said he never saw this type of situation in his 15 years of driving experience. Besides taxis, local autorickshaws are also facing hardships for the last 15 days.

On suggestions of doctors and other officials, majority of the people were remaining indoors, thus, deserting the streets. There are around 25,000 unemployed youth, who were running autorickshaws to eke out their livelihood are also affected. An auto driver, Upender of Miryalaguda, said that he used to earn Rs 500 per day 15 days ago against all costs but now, he is hardly getting Rs 200 to Rs 300 per day. He said he was praying to God to reduce the temperatures so that he could earn more money.