Heavy rainfall and the overflowing Musi River have brought the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) to a grinding halt, severely disrupting travel plans for thousands during the bustling Dasara festival season. It appears that the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) may keep the station’s services suspended for a second consecutive day.
This unexpected disruption has left countless passengers stranded, many of whom were en route to the bus station for their festive journeys.
Even though the floodwaters began to recede by Saturday, officials noted that the station was left covered in thick silt and debris, making immediate reopening impossible. As a safety precaution, electricity to the entire bus station has been disconnected. Authorities are set to evaluate the situation again on Sunday before making any decisions about resuming operations.
J. Srilatha, Regional Manager for Ranga Reddy at TGSRTC, explained the harrowing experience: ‘Many passengers arrived last night. As the station flooded, our teams and buses safely evacuated everyone. Those arriving by metro were advised to turn back and were guided to alternative boarding points across the city.’
With MGBS typically handling around 2,500 daily services, Ms. Srilatha confirmed that all these routes would be redirected. Passengers heading to Nalgonda, Suryapet, and Vijayawada should now go to LB Nagar. Those bound for Mahbubnagar, Kurnool, and Bengaluru will depart from Aramghar. Services to Warangal are moved to Uppal, while buses for Nizamabad, Adilabad, and Karimnagar will operate from Jubilee Bus Station (JBS). The TGSRTC and traffic police are now managing a significantly increased volume of passengers and vehicles at these alternative sites, compounded by the operation of special festival buses.
The floods hit just as TGSRTC had finalized preparations for the Dasara season, anticipating a massive surge in travelers starting September 27th. The corporation had planned to deploy around 7,700 special buses to accommodate the festive rush.
Officials reported that Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) experienced an unusually high passenger load on Saturday, attributed to the extended weekend and school holidays, further exacerbating the redirected travel.
Earlier on Saturday, V.C. Sajjanar, TGSRTC Vice Chairman and Managing Director (and soon to be Hyderabad City Police Commissioner), had confirmed the suspension of MGBS operations due to flooding via a public announcement, instructing passengers to use other city pickup points.