Passengers suffer as RTC buses keep off roads

Anantapur/Kurnool,Dec 15: The agitated demand for unified Andhra compelled the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRtc) to keep its fleet of buses off the roads in Kurnool and Anantapur districts for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.As the buses were confined to Rtc garages, students and commuters had to put up with a lot of inconvenience. Consequently,commuters had to end up travelling in sharing autos.The shared auto drivers fleeced the commuters by charging exorbitant fares.During the night time,people faced difficulties as no autos were plying in the towns.Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Anantapur and Kurnool districts of Rayalseema region where the protestors resorted to damage Rtc buses and organised rail-rokos and rasta-rokos to press their demand for an integrated Andhra Pradesh.

The private buses were suspended in anticipation of attacks from agitators.Meanwhile,separate Telangana stir took its toll by affecting normal life in Anantapur and Kurnool towns and the bus bandh hit tourism and hospitality industry badly.As a precautionary measure,the APSRtc cancelled more than 4,000 buses in Rayalseema districts since Thursday night and scores of passengers were stranded at various places.At least 12 Rtc buses were damaged in stone-pelting or set on fire.Two Rtc buses in Kadiri in Anantapur district were damaged by agitators.