The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has announced a temporary shortage of bus services in Hyderabad due to the allocation of 6,000 buses from its fleet for the biennial tribal fair Sammakka-Saralamma Medaram Jatara between February 21 and 24. The corporation has appealed for public cooperation for four days.
The TSRTC, operating 10,460 buses before the Covid pandemic, now runs around 8,000 buses. Back then, the corporation had discontinued
low-occupancy routes and reduced service frequency. This reduction along with the Mahalakshmi scheme offering free travel for women, has led to increased footfall but also complaints about decreased bus frequency.
Despite a financial crunch and surging diesel prices, the TSRTC continues to help devotees commute hassle-free. The TSRTC has also set up a temporary bus station on 55 acres (of land) at Medaram.