Dasara rush overwhelms Vizag transit hubs; RTA penalises private operators

Round-the-clock monitoring teams are overseeing the operations in view of the heavy passenger rush, say RTC officials. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO :All major transit points, including the Visakhapatnam railway station, Duvvada, and primary terminals like the Dwaraka RTC Complex and Maddilapalem, are witnessing heavy passenger movement with citizens heading to their hometowns for the Dasara festival.With educational institutions declaring holidays from October 10 to 22, students and families have begun travelling in large numbers. To accommodate the surge, the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has pressed nearly 450 special buses into service across Visakhapatnam district, according to Regional Manager B. Appala Naidu. Inspecting passenger amenities at the Dwaraka terminal, Mr. Naidu said 25 additional special buses were operated on the day, with plans to adjust services to key routes, such as Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram, Salur, Palakonda, Vijayawada, and Rajahmundry, depending on traffic volume.He advised commuters to utilise the APSRTC mobile application for advance reservations and live bus tracking. Round-the-clock monitoring teams led by Deputy Chief Traffic Manager K. Padmavathi and Assistant Traffic Manager Gangadhar are overseeing the operations.On the other hand, regular express trains heading towards Howrah, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad are running packed with long waiting lists, forcing unreserved passengers to crowd general compartments.To curb safety violations and check fare gouging by private travel operators during the rush, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) has intensified its enforcement drive across the district.According to the Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC), Visakhapatnam, special inspections targeting Contract Carriage (CC) buses resulted in booking of 96 cases and collection of ₹8,76,380 in fines between September 11 and October 11. Violations detected included operating without valid permits, permit condition breaches, non-payment of motor vehicle taxes, and faulty emergency exits.Emphasising passenger safety during the return journey, the DTC stated that enforcement drives against private operators will continue till the end of the month. Transport authorities warned operators to strictly comply with vehicle fitness, tax, permit, and road safety regulations or face severe penalties and impoundment. Published - October 15, 2026 09:20 pm IST