Mismanagement In Nalgonda RTC

Metro India News | nalgonda

Allegations of poor management, irregular bus services and alleged harassment of passengers have surfaced against the Nalgonda RTC depot, with commuters, students and women employees claiming that the public transport system has become increasingly unreliable despite the government's free travel scheme for women.

Passengers allege that while the Mahalakshmi scheme has eased the financial burden on women, they continue to face rude behaviour from some drivers and conductors. They claim women are frequently subjected to abusive language and humiliation while travelling, even though the State Government reimburses RTC for every free journey under the scheme.

Commuters have also complained about erratic bus operations across the district. Villagers say Palle Velugu buses often fail to arrive on time, while Express buses allegedly do not stop at designated locations, forcing passengers to wait for long hours. They have accused the Nalgonda depot management of focusing more on revenue collection than on maintaining efficient services.

Students and staff of Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), located about 15 km from Nalgonda town, have alleged that buses frequently skip the university stop despite it being an officially designated halt. In a recent incident, a woman employee travelling to Bhongir allegedly faced abusive remarks from a bus driver after questioning why the bus was not stopping at the university. Fellow passengers claimed the employee was left in tears following the incident.

According to local residents, students had earlier complained to the Depot Manager over similar issues, but they allege that instead of resolving the problem, even the few buses that previously stopped at the university were discontinued. Passengers also complained that bus staff often fail to intervene during disputes over seats and instead argue with commuters, allowing situations to escalate.

Concerns have also been raised over the grievance redressal mechanism. A woman employee alleged that when she approached the Regional Manager over the phone, she was asked to submit a complaint to the Depot Manager. She further claimed that the Depot Manager questioned why she had boarded an Express bus and advised her to travel by Palle Velugu services instead. Following the incident, she reportedly stopped using RTC buses and shifted to private transport.

Passengers have urged RTC authorities to take strict action against staff accused of misconduct, ensure buses stop at MGU and other designated halts, improve service frequency and restore accountability in the Nalgonda depot.