Vijayawada: Leaders from Nunna village in Vijayawada Rural mandal of NTR district have urged the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to introduce city bus services to the village, citing severe hardship faced by residents due to the lack of adequate public transport facilities.

Nunna Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) Chairman and TDP president Kalakoti Srinivas Reddy, along with Secretary Madu Sivaramprasad, Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal Project Committee Director and Nunna Distributary Committee Chairman Pamarthi Srinivasa Rao, leaders Kondeti Srinivas alias Vasu and others, submitted a representation to APSRTC Chairman Konakalla Narayana Rao at his chamber in the NTR Administrative Building in Vijayawada on Tuesday.

Nunna, which falls under the Gannavaram Assembly constituency, is one of the largest villages in the mandal with a population of over 50,000. Despite rapid growth, the development of new residential colonies and the establishment of engineering colleges, the village lacks city bus connectivity. At present, residents are forced to depend on bus services operating between Vijayawada, Nuzvid, and Vissannapeta, causing inconvenience to students, employees, and daily commuters. The leaders recalled that until 2000, nearly 50 city bus services used to operate up to Kotakatta Centre, connecting important locations such as Kaleswara Rao Market, Milk Factory, Auto Nagar, and Mangalagiri. These services were later withdrawn, forcing residents to rely on limited routes such as 308, 208, and suburban services 112 and 212, leading to delays and travel difficulties.

The delegation requested APSRTC to introduce city bus services from Kaleswara Rao Market or Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) to Nunna and to provide a dedicated bus stop at Kotakatta Centre. They also pointed out that the former city bus terminal at Nunna has been developed with a bus shelter in memory of freedom fighter Sardar Gowthu Lacchanna, and sought provision of a bus stop at Kotakatta Centre for long-route services such as 112, 212, 208, and 308, in addition to the existing Ravichettu Centre stop.

Responding to the request, APSRTC Chairman Konakalla Narayana Rao discussed the issue with RTC officials and directed them to take necessary steps. Recalling that several private city bus services had earlier operated between Vijayawada and Nunna during his student days, he instructed officials to immediately operate two city bus services to Nunna and to provide bus stop facilities for buses operating towardsGannavaram, Nuzvid, and Vissannapeta.