Hyderabad: On the occasion of upcoming Maha Shivaratri festival, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is running over 3,000 special buses to facilitate the travel of devotees to prominent Shiva temples across the state. These buses will operate between February 24 and February 28, with Maha Shivaratri falling on February 26.

These special services were deployed to ensure the smooth and convenient transportation of devotees during the peak festival period.

TGSRTC Managing Director VC Sajjanar stated that the corporation has already conducted a review meeting with senior RTC officials and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar to ensure the smooth operation of the special services. Compared to the previous year, 809 additional buses will be operated this year, with more buses being added based on demand and the number of devotees. Sajjanar said that these special services are intended to provide a safe and comfortable travel experience for all devotees and to ensure their timely arrival at the temples.

According to TGSRTC, a total of 800 buses will be deployed to Srisallam, one of the most sought-after pilgrimage destinations. An additional 714 buses will operate to Vemulawada, while 444 buses will head to Edupayala, another key temple town. Other destinations also include Keesaragutta, with 270 buses, Velala (171 buses), Kaleshwaram (80 buses), and Komuravelli (51 buses).

The senior officer at the Corporation said that several other buses will cater to devotees traveling to temples like Alampur, Umamaheshwaram, Palakurthi, and Ramappa.

TGSRTC has also made special arrangements to operate buses from major locations, such as MGBS, JBS, CBS, IS Sadan, KPHB, and BHEL, to Srisailam, ensuring easy access for devotees.

In order to make the journey more comfortable for travellers, TGSRTC has planned the provision of shelters, chairs, drinking water, and public address systems at key bus stations and travel points.

Following the state government orders, TGSRTC has also revised its fare structure for the special buses. The ticket prices for special services will be reduced by up to 50 per cent from February 24 to February 27. For buses traveling to Edupayala, the discounted fares will be applicable from February 26 to February 28. However, the regular bus services will maintain their standard fares.

Additionally, women traveling on Pallavelugu, Express, City Ordinary, and Metro Express buses will benefit from free travel under the Mahalakshmi scheme, with zero-tickets issued for their journeys. Special buses from Hyderabad to Srisailam and Vemulawada will also provide advance booking facilities, allowing passengers to reserve their seats through the official TGSRTC website at www.tgsrtcbus.in.

For more details about the special bus services, TGSRTC has set up helpline numbers – 040-69440000 and 040-23450033.