HYDERABAD: Development, highways, transportation, rail and road connectivity... Hey, hey, hold on! What development? Where is the connectivity? These are the questions being asked by the residents of as many as ten colonies of Boduppal.And quite rightly so! Because the residents of these colonies, right here in the heart of State capital, have been suffering due to lack of public transport facilities, not for one month or one year, but for the past five years.   

The residents of these areas have made several representations and the TSRTC too conducted trial runs on this route.So what is stopping the State transport body from plying buses to these areas? A narrow stretch that connects these localities with the main road and nearby bus terminals.

“After the residents of these areas demanded bus connectivity, we had operated buses on a trial basis between Boduppal and Anjaneya Colony a few years ago. But as the roads were not wide enough, we had to cancel the operations,” one TSRTC official informed Express.

The local commuters, most of whom are either office-goers or schoolchildren, though have suggested a solution, albeit a temporary one, to tackle the problem. 

The associations of these colonies are requesting the TSRTC to run mini buses on these routes.
“Even if TSRTC starts mini bus services during the peak hours, say in the mornings and evenings, till the Uppal Bus stand or the Metro station, it’d make it a lot easier for us during our daily commuting,” said one local resident.

More than 1,500 families live in the colonies like Anjaneya Nagar, Srinivasa Nagar, Swaroop Nagar, Gayatri Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar and a few other areas, all these are connected to the main Boduppal area through Anjaneya Nagar.

Fleecing commuters

Taking advantage of the situation, the auto rickshaw operators are fleecing the residents of these areas. “We are at their mercy now. The auto drivers charge anywhere between `50 to `60 for a 1.5km one-way trip,” said Prashanth Mamidala, a resident of Anjaneya Nagar.

“Forget buses, we don’t even have share-auto services in our area. Either we have to walk up to the ‘chaurasta’, from where we can hire a auto, or take a car/bike up to the Metro,” Shiva Sharma, a resident of Brindavan Colony, said.

Some residents say that there is an alternate route to the road with the narrow stretch, which connects Anjaneya Nagar to four or five colonies starting from the main road to Ambedkar statue and NTR Statue.
“Water tankers, lorries and school buses all come through the other way as they all are facing the same problem. If TSRTC also checks the alternate route, then it would be a lot easier for all of us,” Shanthi Sree, one of the working parents in the area, said.