By Sanjay Samuel Paul
Copyright deccanchronicle
Hyderabad: The decision of the South Central Railway (SCR) to stop the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Yesvantpur Vande Bharat Express service on Fridays has drawn sharp criticism from commuters, who called it inconvenient given the train’s popularity between the two tech hubs. Previously, the break was on Wednesdays.The service, initially operated with eight coaches and later expanded to 16 due to demand, once recorded an occupancy ratio of 150 per cent. At present, it maintains 85 per cent occupancy. Many passengers depend on the train for weekend travel between Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Social media was flooded with angry reactions. One post read: “It looks like some private bus lobby has managed to change the schedule for their own convenience. Otherwise, which clown would think of removing a BLR–HYD Vande Bharat train on a Friday?” Regular commuters also voiced their concerns. Rajiv Rajkumar, a BPO employee, said: “This train was more convenient to reach home on weekends, but now I’m forced to take buses. If Friday services are resumed, it will be a big relief.” Sunita Yadav added: “I would finish my morning shift, take the Friday train, and reach Hyderabad by night to spend the weekend with my family. Now I have no choice but to travel by bus.” The TGSRTC, which runs 40 buses between Hyderabad and Bengaluru on weekends, applies dynamic fares due to soaring demand from Friday. Tourist Bus Owners Association leader Mohammed Saleem noted: “Bengaluru-bound buses are always a big-ticket business on weekends and festivals, and private operators make significant profits.” SCR officials explained that the cancellation of the service on Fridays was due to maintenance scheduling. The Hyderabad-Yesvantpur Vande Bharat requires daily servicing and a weekly overhaul. The adjustment became necessary after the Mumbai-Jalna Vande Bharat was extended to Nanded, with its maintenance entrusted to SCR’s Moula Ali shed. To accommodate this, the Hyderabad-Yesvantpur train’s weekly maintenance day was shifted from Wednesday to Friday. Officials admitted they are reconsidering a shift back to Wednesday, acknowledging the high demand for the Friday service.
