As Sankranti is near, the demand for traveling in the Telugu states increases dramatically since individuals visit their native places for the festival celebration. Public transport via buses and trains is widely used and there is not a single seat available for some of the buses. Besides, many long-distance bus tickets have also been sold out which turns travel into a hassle for the passengers.

Railways Steps In with Special Trains
The South Central Railway (SCR) has given a piece of news which is quite nice: The conducting of nearly 600 special trains for Sankranti peak is in the pipeline. Currently, there are 124 special trains running, however, if there is a need, the count will be increased. The key stations for departure are Secunderabad, Nampally, Kacheguda, Lingampally, and Cherlapally.

Expected Passenger Volume and Arrangements
It is the government’s estimation that the number of people who would make a journey to and from Hyderabad using these special trains would exceed 30 lakhs. The holiday season has the biggest demand on the railways in the direction of Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Vijayawada, Srikakulam, Rajahmundry, and Guntur. The last day of operation for the trains is set to be January 24, and there will be extra charges on top of the basic rates.

According to SCR CPRO Sridhar, the organized way of creating a plan for the high number of passengers to be handled and ensuring a continuous travel experience during the festival period is being made.

Through these plans, the railway intends to alleviate the hardship of visitors during the festivals and also offer them the option of traveling in a safer, quicker, and more comfortable way during Sankranti.