Dasara exodus: 120 rail specials, 7,000 extra RTC buses as Hyderabad heads home

Lakhs of people left Hyderabad for their home towns in the Dasara exodus over the weekend ahead of Vijayadashami on Tuesday, 20 October, packing trains and buses, slowing traffic on the highways and leaving city roads unusually quiet on Monday, 19 October.

Trains

South Central Railway (SCR) said it operated 120 special trains over the past week, moving roughly four lakh passengers over and above its regular traffic. In all, the railway has announced around 700 special services for the Dasara, Diwali and Chhath season, running to destinations that include Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Narasapur and Tirupati as well as Bengaluru, Prayagraj and Danapur.

To cut queues, SCR has opened extra ticket counters at Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Kacheguda, Lingampalli and Charlapalli and added automatic ticket vending machines. It is asking travellers who need unreserved tickets to buy them on the UTS mobile app or through QR codes rather than wait in line. Extra Railway Protection Force personnel are on duty at busy stations.

Buses, and a fare row

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has lined up 7,000 additional buses for the festival. In a statement on Sunday, 18 October, it said 97 per cent of the extra services scheduled since 10 October had been run.

That statement answered former minister and BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao, who alleged on social media that the corporation had raised fares for the festival and cancelled special buses. TGSRTC called the allegations untrue. It said festival fares are set within existing rules and a government order issued in 2003, that no services had been cut, and that free travel for women under the Mahalakshmi scheme was continuing.

When it announced the special buses earlier this month, TGSRTC said fares on special services only, not regular buses, could rise to as much as 1.5 times the normal fare on named peak days. Those include 25 and 26 October, when the return rush is expected.

Highways and the city

On Sunday, 18 October, vehicles stood in queues several kilometres long near Choutuppal and the Pantangi toll plaza on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway, with flyover and underpass works adding to the delay. Police diverted traffic via Lakkaram, Valigonda and Chityala. Toll plazas on the Warangal, Karimnagar and Kurnool highways also saw long lines.

Inside the city the exodus had the reverse effect. Main roads and junctions were noticeably lighter on 19 October, with shorter waits at signals, as many offices and schools stayed shut. Some of those who stayed back went out instead: Nehru Zoological Park drew 20,483 visitors on Sunday, 18 October, its busiest day so far this holiday season, according to zoo officials.

Tips for the return journey

• Book early. Reserved seats for the weekend after Dasara go quickly; book as soon as your travel date is fixed.
• Skip the counter. For unreserved train tickets, use the UTS app or the QR codes displayed at stations.
• Check official sources. Confirm special trains, bus timings and fares on the official SCR, TGSRTC and APSRTC websites and apps, not forwarded messages.
• Know the fare. A special bus on a peak return day can cost more than a regular one; check the fare before you pay.
• Allow extra time. If driving, budget for waits at toll plazas and road works; if taking a train, reach big stations early.

Also read: Vijayadashami: Vijay Muhurtham timings and the bank and stock market holiday at a glance · Rain may dampen Dasara in coastal Andhra as IMD forecasts heavy showers till October 21