Private luxury buses with no proper permits to cross borders can take passengers for a ride, causing them hardships in reaching the destination in time for important works. One such incident has occurred on Monday when 30 passengers from Nagpur were stranded at Patanbodi situated near the border of Telangana.
As many as 30 passengers travelling from Nagpur to Hyderabad by luxury bus of Khurana Travels had to face lot of inconvenience at Patanbodi for over 9 hours on Monday. The bus in which they were travelling had no permit to cross the border. Believing in the promise that this bus is a standby arrangement till Telangana border and at Check-post the passengers would be shifted to another bus coming from Hyderabad, the gullible passengers agreed to travel.
Around 25 passengers in the bus coming from Hyderabad also got involved in the drama and faced the same situation for over 9 hours from 4.30 am to 1.30 pm at border point.The luxury bus started from Ashirwad Talkies Square at the schedule time 9 pm on Sunday and by the time it reached to Bole Petrol Pump stop it developed a snag in diesel tank. The bus broke down near Maharajbag. The concerned persons tried to rectify the fault with mechanic that took around 2 hours while the passengers at Chhatrapati Square went on waiting in the hope that bus would come, informed a suffering passenger.
Around 11.30 pm, the passengers were told that this is a standby arrangement till Telangana border and at the check-post, they would be shifted to another bus coming from Hyderabad. Out of a total of 36 passengers, 6 passengers decided to cancel the tickets at Chhatrapati Square while those in need to reach Hyderabad preferred to travel. The passengers experienced a bit rough and bumpy ride as the so-called ‘luxury’ bus was without wipers and even number plate on front side. The passengers heaved a sigh of relief when they reached Patanbodi at 4 am. The Volvo bus carrying 30 passengers from Hyderabad to Nagpur also reached same time. Bus operators told the passengers from Hyderabad that the vehicle developed a fault and alighted reluctantly. The moment Nagpur passengers boarded that bus the alighted passengers realised that they had been taken for a ride.There was a group of 18 persons, including two lawyers, from Nagpur, who raised voice against unnecessary sufferings without any fault of theirs. Passengers coming from Hyderabad were not ready to board this luxury bus for onward journey to Nagpur. Five of them made separate arrangement and left while 25 passengers were also held up there for over 9 hours, rued the passenger, who does not want to be named.
The passengers called up 100 number for help when it was already 8.30 am. The police reached the spot and took both the buses to Patanbodi police. Later, passengers in both the buses lodged FIR in the police outpost against travel company and charged it with cheating and misleading them by dishing out half truths. Due to fault of company, the passengers had to undergo ordeal for nine long hours. The matter was taken to RTO, who offered to arrange accommodation in MSRTC bus from nearby Adilabad, to which passengers refused.
The bus operators somehow “convinced” the RTO authorities and managed to leave the place and finally buses left with Nagpur passengers sitting in Volvo and Hyderabad passengers in luxury bus. The disappointed passenger informed that Khurana Travels charged Rs 1,300 per head from Nagpur to Hyderabad and Rs 1,600 per head from Hyderabad to Nagpur. He complained that the passengers were asked to alight at Secunderabad at 8 pm, where the bus terminates. Many of them have warned to drag the operator to court for mental harassment and acute inconvenience cause to them due to callous approach of operator.
News : Ramesh Marulkar
Photo : Shrikant Shenoy
