|
Hyderabad: Transport services in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh came
to a halt as a two-day 'rail blockade' and strike by
auto-rickshaws began Saturday morning, adding to the woes of
people already reeling under the impact of protest by the
state-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC).
In an unprecedented situation, commuters have no access to any
mode of public transport.
As over 10,000 RTC buses remained off the roads in Hyderabad and
nine other districts of the region for the sixth day, all trains
were cancelled for Saturday and Sunday.
Moreover, 500,000 auto-rickshaws also joined the 'people's strike'
demanding a separate Telangana state. Over 60,000 three-wheelers
in Hyderabad are participating in the strike.
South Central Railway (SCR) cancelled over 72 express and 264
passenger trains originating from or coming to Telangana or
passing through the region.
"In view of some incidents that took place during similar protests
earlier, we are not operating train services this time," said SCR
chief public relations officer K. Sambasiva Rao.
Leaders and activists of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC)
squatted on railway tracks at hundreds of places across the
region.
Leaders of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and Communist Party of India-ML New Democracy squatted on
the track at Kazipet in Warangal district, the main junction
connecting south and north India.
The railways have cancelled all 222 (Multi-Modal Transport System)
services or local trains in the twin cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad and 102 DHMU (Diesel Hydraulic Multiple Unit) trains
in other parts of Telangana.
The SCR authorities have also short terminated, diverted and
rescheduled many long-distance trains in the north-south and
east-west corridors. The rail link between Hyderabad and rest of
Telangana and also between the state capital and other regions of
Andhra Pradesh has completely snapped.
All the trains between Hyderabad and destinations like like Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Guwahati, Patna, Rajkot and Balharshah
have been cancelled.
Hundreds of policemen, personnel of railway police and central
paramilitary forces were deployed at stations to protect railway
property.
Secunderabad and Nampally (Hyderabad) railway stations -- two of
the busiest railway stations in south India -- wore a deserted
look.
All the trains were cancelled from Friday midnight while some
long-distance trains coming to Hyderabad were stopped earlier in
the day.
|
Comments
|
Quick links