VISAKHAPATNAM: A festive rush has gripped Visakhapatnam, with roads, bus stations and railway stations witnessing a steady flow of people heading to their hometowns for the Dasara holidays.
The rush was visible on Sunday at the Dwaraka RTC Complex, Maddilapalem bus station and railway stations, while national highways faced traffic congestion as families began their holiday journeys.
With schools and colleges closed from October 10 to 22, students and their parents have joined the rush to reach their native places. For many, however, getting a confirmed train ticket has become a challenge. Passengers who booked tickets nearly two months in advance are still struggling to secure confirmed berths, while high ticket prices have added to the cost of festival travel.
The rush comes as Navaratri festivities begin across the city. Several localities have installed Kali Matha idols, with devotees gathering to offer prayers to Goddess Durga. The combination of holiday travel and religious celebrations has added to the movement of people on city roads.
To accommodate the additional passenger traffic, the South Coast Railway has introduced special trains for the Dasara.
The additional services are intended to help passengers travel during the festival period, though confirmed tickets remain difficult to obtain on some services.
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has also stepped up its arrangements, planning around 420 special buses from Visakhapatnam to various destinations between October 9 and 22.
The buses connect the city with Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram, Hyderabad, Amalapuram and several places in North Andhra, including Srikakulam, Tekkali, Palasa, Parvathipuram, Palakonda, Salur and Vizianagaram.
Meanwhile, the Visakhapatnam City Police has issued a safety advisory asking residents travelling to their native places for the Dasara holidays to take precautions against thefts and house burglaries. People have been advised not to leave large amounts of cash or gold and silver jewellery at home and to use bank lockers to keep valuables safe.
Residents have also been asked to inform their neighbours or apartment security personnel about their absence and request them to keep an eye on their homes.
The police have advised people planning to stay away for several days to inform their nearest police station in writing or notify the beat constable so that night patrols can be stepped up in their streets.
