Bus Shortage in Dharmavaram Hits Rural Students Hard

Swift Summary

• Situation: Sri Sathya Sai district’s Mudigubba, mulakalacheruvu, and Kadiri mandals are facing a severe shortage of APSRTC buses for school and college students.
• Impact: Approximately 300 students rely on buses in key routes (Nidigallu, peddakotla, Chillakondayapalli), but overcrowding forces manny to travel dangerously on footboards during peak hours.
• Response: Parents have expressed concerns over student safety and approached depot managers and APSRTC union leaders to address the issue.
• Quotes from locals:

– Narasingappa from Mudigubba called for increased bus services, mentioning the discomfort this creates for rural girl students.
– A bus driver stated efforts were being made locally but anticipated advancement in fleet management in upcoming months.

• Current measures: Only one service is operated during peak hours despite 10 daily routes being reserved under the Dharmavaram RTC depot.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The shortage of transportation facilities in Sri Sathya Sai district highlights systemic challenges faced by rural india regarding infrastructure allocation. The overcrowding issue compromises student safety and dignity, particularly impacting young girls-a concern raised by local residents. while initiatives like Stree Shakti provide free bus travel access to women, these progressive steps must be accompanied by scaled-up fleet management to ensure equitable access across demographics.This situation stresses the need for better planning at regional APSRTC depots as limited resources directly affect education accessibility in rural districts. The crisis also exemplifies how such gaps can lead to heightened risk during commutes-an essential problem policymakers must prioritize as part of broader transportation reforms.

Read More