HYDERABAD: It's not just the notebook-toting techies who opt for the long rides on MMTS to their workplaces in Hi-Tec City as the train service that snakes across the city, is a lifeline for those residing in asal Hyderabad.
A ride on Secunderabad-Falaknuma, for instance, throws up interesting surprises and facts. The profile of passengers changes over the day. Early morning, the coaches are packed with farmers from the neighbouring villages who get off long-distance trains at Secunderabad station and take the connecting MMTS to different parts of the Old City.
Vijayamma, 54, is a regular in the 7.40 am train. She catches the Naranayadri or Visakha Express around 4 in the morning from Nalgonda and gets off at Secunderabad. If she has some time on hand, she steps out of the station and sells her stock of pudina and palak right outside the station gate. Then she boards the 7.40 am train to Falaknuma and heads to the Rythu Bazaar. "This has been my routine for the past five years. My son is a farmer and I come here to sell whatever he cultivates in his farm, depending on the season," she says. She sometimes helps her neighbours and brings their fare to sell in the city. On her way back, it is again the MMTS which comes to her rescue in more ways than one. If she finds a crowded compartment, she starts selling whatever is left in her basket among the co-passengers. And she is not alone. There are many more like her who take these daily to-and-fro rides.
An hour later, the train on the same route has college girls hurrying to occupy seats. Lalitha, a second year student of English at Koti Women's College, is all praise for the MMTS service. "It is our lifeline. We realised this during the T-strike when MMTS service on the Kacheguda route was cancelled," she says.
Another fellow passenger, Niveditha, also a student of the same college, prefers the train to bus as it is faster. She says, "The area is also well-connected by bus service but the train is less crowded and is a faster mode of transport." There is also a bunch of petty traders from the Old City, selling a range of items from hair clips to clothes peg.
Moinuddin, who sells hair bands, has a portable stall which he sets up in front of the Secunderabad station during the day, and shifts to Charminar area in the evening. "In the evening, there is not much sale in the station area which is not lighted properly," he says. He gets off at Yakutpura and walks down to Chattabazaar with his stand on his shoulders.
While techies pack these trains during office hours, this service is also used by Old City commuters who take long distance trains from Kacheguda or Secunderabad stations. This is also the most inexpensive mode of transport for students studying in Osmania University or University of Hyderabad who travel from the Old City. Tourists too are often spotted taking the MMTS and the time table available at different stations is a good source of information about which station is nearest to the various tourist attractions in the Old City.
South Central Railway's CPRO, K Sambasiva Rao says the service has picked up well. "The average number of passengers in MMTS has gone up from around 10 thousand per day in 2003 to 1.5 lakh in 2011 in the Lingampally-Falaknuma sector. More and more number of people are taking this mode of transport," he says.
However, passengers do complain about problems of connectivity from stations to nearby bus and auto stands. Bridging this gap through introduction of share autos, tempos or bus services is much needed for the MMTS to become a prime transport facility in and around asal Hyderabad.
A ride on Secunderabad-Falaknuma, for instance, throws up interesting surprises and facts. The profile of passengers changes over the day. Early morning, the coaches are packed with farmers from the neighbouring villages who get off long-distance trains at Secunderabad station and take the connecting MMTS to different parts of the Old City.
Vijayamma, 54, is a regular in the 7.40 am train. She catches the Naranayadri or Visakha Express around 4 in the morning from Nalgonda and gets off at Secunderabad. If she has some time on hand, she steps out of the station and sells her stock of pudina and palak right outside the station gate. Then she boards the 7.40 am train to Falaknuma and heads to the Rythu Bazaar. "This has been my routine for the past five years. My son is a farmer and I come here to sell whatever he cultivates in his farm, depending on the season," she says. She sometimes helps her neighbours and brings their fare to sell in the city. On her way back, it is again the MMTS which comes to her rescue in more ways than one. If she finds a crowded compartment, she starts selling whatever is left in her basket among the co-passengers. And she is not alone. There are many more like her who take these daily to-and-fro rides.
An hour later, the train on the same route has college girls hurrying to occupy seats. Lalitha, a second year student of English at Koti Women's College, is all praise for the MMTS service. "It is our lifeline. We realised this during the T-strike when MMTS service on the Kacheguda route was cancelled," she says.
Another fellow passenger, Niveditha, also a student of the same college, prefers the train to bus as it is faster. She says, "The area is also well-connected by bus service but the train is less crowded and is a faster mode of transport." There is also a bunch of petty traders from the Old City, selling a range of items from hair clips to clothes peg.
Moinuddin, who sells hair bands, has a portable stall which he sets up in front of the Secunderabad station during the day, and shifts to Charminar area in the evening. "In the evening, there is not much sale in the station area which is not lighted properly," he says. He gets off at Yakutpura and walks down to Chattabazaar with his stand on his shoulders.
While techies pack these trains during office hours, this service is also used by Old City commuters who take long distance trains from Kacheguda or Secunderabad stations. This is also the most inexpensive mode of transport for students studying in Osmania University or University of Hyderabad who travel from the Old City. Tourists too are often spotted taking the MMTS and the time table available at different stations is a good source of information about which station is nearest to the various tourist attractions in the Old City.
South Central Railway's CPRO, K Sambasiva Rao says the service has picked up well. "The average number of passengers in MMTS has gone up from around 10 thousand per day in 2003 to 1.5 lakh in 2011 in the Lingampally-Falaknuma sector. More and more number of people are taking this mode of transport," he says.
However, passengers do complain about problems of connectivity from stations to nearby bus and auto stands. Bridging this gap through introduction of share autos, tempos or bus services is much needed for the MMTS to become a prime transport facility in and around asal Hyderabad.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment