Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

MMTS commuters feel the squeeze

By T. Lalith Singh

The reduced number of coaches of the MMTS train.

HYDERABAD DEC. 6. The arithmetic is rather baffling. Stop at any Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) station in the city and take a count of the blue and white coaches that roll past. Four you say, but the South Central Railway (SCR) puts it at six!

In a move, that the SCR apparently chose not to publicise, two coaches each from the MMTS rakes were removed leaving a truncated service for commuters. The service offering fast, efficient and comfortable commuting in the city and to the suburbs was introduced four months ago and after a dull initial run has seen a steady rise in patronage.

The MMTS service, particularly during peak hours, has been drawing good response and running with full seat occupancy. And with two coaches removed, the four remaining coaches were seen packed in the morning and evening on Saturday with many travelling standing.

Commuters rush towards the MMTS to reach their destination. — Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury.

When contacted, the SCR officials, however, maintained they were operating all the six coaches. "There was a proposal to limit the coaches but it has not been done so far," an official claimed and the Chief Public Relations Officer, N. V. Ramana Reddy, too, said the same.

The SCR has recently announced a revised schedule for the MMTS service. Commuters, while expressing satisfaction at the increased frequency in the evening hours, however, faulted the changes made in the morning schedule.

"Now there are no trains between 9.35 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. from Lingampally, which is causing inconvenience for the office-goers. They should restore the 10 a.m. service," says Ather Khan, a resident of Hafeezpeta. Another commuter, Jyotsna Reddy, expressed reservations at the cancellation of the 12 noon train. "This service was ideal for those reporting for second shift duties. Now there is no train between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., which is bad news for employees like me," she says.

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