The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Volvo service to Tirupati withdrawn

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 19, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Volvo service to Tirupati withdrawn

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN.18. The popular Hyderabad-Tirumala Volvo coach service operated by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has been withdrawn much to the disappointment of those looking for a convenient and comfortable journey to the Seven Hills. The APTDC sources said that though the package inclusive of accommodation and `Darshan' and priced at Rs. 1,700 evoked good response initially throughout the week, gradually the coach ran to its full capacity of 45 seats only during the week-end.

"The service thus proved unviable and it made sense to divert those coaches to the much in demand Hyderabad-Bangalore and Hyderabad-Chennai routes," they said. The Volvo coach used to leave at 2 p.m. from the city and reached Tirumala the next day at 2 a.m. and the pilgrims had time to freshen up and go for `Archana Anantara Darshan' on the second day morning.

After visit to Tiruchanur, the bus left in the evening to reach city on the morning of the third day.

Hi-tech coaches

The APTDC however operates hi-tech (non-AC) coaches from Sunday to Thursday. The trip to Tirumala in the hi-tech bus inclusive of accommodation and `cellar darshan' and priced at Rs. 1,050 would leave the city at 4 p.m, reach Tirumala the next day morning and leave again in the evening and return to city on the third day morning.

The APTDC operating over 20 Volvo coaches to various destinations proposes to start the service to Visakhapatnam soon.

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