Sir,

Please help women travel free of harassment.

In the APSRTC city buses, seats have been alloted for senior citizens and PHC citizens in the front of the bus, that is where ladies get into the bus and stand/sit. This is a big problem to us because some men are just sitting in those seats even if they dont fall in those two categories and other men get into the bus and stand around these people hence causing inconvenience to women standing there. In crowded buses, which is usually the situation, these men wantedly touch/do stupid things to women standing nearby and harass them.

Can the reserved seats please be moved to the back part of the bus, so that all gents can go there and leave the front to women?
The conductors also should be more efficient. Instead of shouting at innocent passengers for change or any other reason, they should control men to keep to their place and leave women alone.

We cannot avoid buses as they form the main and sometimes the only transport for women. So, kindly look into this matter and so the needful.

Thanks,
A woman suffering because of the above mentioned problem

This is to bring to notice malpractices and carelessness by APSTRC. I had traveled from HYD to Eluru by private bus – SRKT Volvo 21mar08 and the service were excellent, whereas during my return journey it was a lifetime experience due to negligence of APSRTC.



Firstly at bus stand Eluru there is no update whether there is Volvo service exists from Eluru to HYD on 24mar 08. At 1500hrs surprising the counter clerk upon request directed to go to Sachin sports APSRTC agent counter where I purchased 2 tickets for Rs.694 bearing no: 592947/48. Surprisingly there is no ticket available at the bus stand counter and they don’t have knowledge whether bus service is available for the day, but the agent confirms that the bus has left HYD that morning, cant understand employees don’t have the knowledge whereas agents have complete timing of the Volvo.



Secondly, the bus arrives at 2230hrs, the bus is in worst condition (pictures enclosed in attachment). The glass of Volvo is sticked with cello tape and inside the bus, water leaking from the roof onto the seats. 7 seats were fully wet as well as the blankets. The bus cleaner tries to open the baggage shelf and it falls on the ground. The passengers are requested to keep the luggage in the bus and few passenger had kept their baggage in the shelf were asking for the safety of their luggage a written confirmation that the luggage would be safe until hyd journey.



7 seats soiled with water, passengers wanted either new seats or a new bus, but no one responsible was available at the bus station. Finally we got the mobile no: of the Eluru DM, who initially refused to come and have a look at the bus and told we will talk in the morning. Hyd DM, confirms firmly that the bus is in excellent shape and safe for journey. A group of people consisting of software engineers and ladies senior citizens refused to board the bus and staged a silent dharna (inspiration from latest movie Rang de Basanti) until the Eluru DM comes and has a look of the bus and arranges for an alternative. Eluru DM at last comes to the bus stand at 0200hrs, when the passengers informed that they will reach his residence with the bus. DM firstly, inspected the condition and offered high tech bus with no refund or else full refund if cancel ticket. At 2am in the morning where will a person go with a cancelled ticket. We took a written confirmation of our complaint acknowledged by the DM and he promised to look into the matter and update us about the status of the complaint.



Request passengers traveling from eluru to hyd or back, to verify whether they are sending the same bus or have sent a new bus since its risky for passengers to travel in that bus. Also request authorities to value human life since everyone has family waiting at home. Also stop black marketing of tickets, offer good buses to passengers atleast when we are paying for Volvo services for long journeys. Please repair buses on time and be responsible at duties. Would like to salute those who cared of future passengers by wasting their precious time for safety of others which includes myself. Its good to see people air our their views and start protesting for their minimum rights.



Received a call from Eluru DM from his mobile 9959225487 regarding queries for ticket blackmarketing.



Also we called up the media like NTV, TV9 and Sakshi but no one picked the phone and TV9 promised to send his person but no one turned up, media should help the citizens and if it was a rape case they would have immediately come along with their camera, this is bad responsibility by the media to take up news which has masala and not help the citizens who are in dire straits and need help.



Hope everyone takes up atleast 10% of their responsibilties on their duties to make India an example for others.



Hope this article gets printed.



Thanks,

Rizwan.





Volvo bus no: AP 11 Z 3982 Eluru to KPHB on 24Mar08 at 11pm. Leaves Eluru bus station at 0230am on 25Mar08.