Denizens soak in NY festive spirit

Hyderabad: A festive atmosphere prevailed in Hyderabad on New Year; temples and churches across the city witnessed a surge in devotees on Monday. Special prayers were organised in many temples.

However, the newly launched free bus services for women have given a boost to pilgrim tourism in the city. On Monday, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) witnessed packed buses with women passengers heading to various shrines.

Various temples in Hyderabad, including Peddamma Temple at Jubilee Hills, Birla Mandir, Jagannath Temple in Banjara Hills, and Chilkur Balaji Temple, were packed with devotees. Even at the newly opened Dakshin Ke Badrinath Temple located in Medchal (which is a replica of the Badrinath Temple of Uttarakhand), a large number of devotees thronged to the temple to offer prayers. Similarly, devotees thronged to Yadadri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple to seek the divine presence of the god and goddess on the first day of the New Year.

According to TSRTC officials, “We have seen a rush in pallevelugu buses and even express buses bound for the huge demand for Yadadri, Chilkur, Keesaragutta, and also Bhadrachalam. After the launch of the Mahalakshmi scheme, women’s occupancy ratio has increased from 69 to 98 per cent and generally, on the peak days (usually on Monday), our occupancy ratio used to be 75 per cent but after the introduction of the scheme on the peak days, patronage is 99 to 100 per cent.