Fri Jan 10 16:45:53 UTC 2025: ## Andhra Pradesh Sees Massive Passenger Rush for Sankranti Festival

**Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, January 10, 2025** – A massive influx of passengers flooded bus and railway stations across Andhra Pradesh as the Sankranti festival began. Over 6,000 special buses from the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) are operating until January 15, ferrying lakhs of people from Telangana and abroad back to their hometowns in Andhra Pradesh for the celebrations.

The TSRTC deployed these extra buses to various destinations including Narsapuram, Bhimavaram, Razole, Visakhapatnam, Ongole, Vijayawada, Amalapuram, Malkipuram, Gudivada, Rajamahendravaram, Machilipatnam, and Guntur. Buses are operating from major Telangana depots, including KPHB, Miyapur, Khammam, Hyderabad, and Karimnagar, as well as from Jubilee Bus Station, Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, and L.B. Nagar in Hyderabad. The TSRTC has also instructed drivers to make stops in villages as requested by passengers until January 13th, after which they will focus on the return journeys.

However, the surge in passengers overwhelmed existing infrastructure. Vijayawada’s Pandit Nehru Bus Station and railway station witnessed immense crowds from Friday morning, with long queues at reservation counters and packed platforms. Passengers reported significant delays and a shortage of buses to certain areas, particularly in West Godavari and Konaseema districts. One passenger, Guttula Bhavani Shankar, appealed to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to deploy more buses to alleviate the situation. The high volume of passengers is also attributed to schools and colleges declaring holidays for the festival.

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