7-foot-tall Hyderabad city bus conductor struggles to stand in low-roof bus
Hyderabad: Being tall may be an advantage for you if you play basketball, but you are more likely to have difficulty in carrying out daily activities such as getting into a car, public transport or buildings with lower height entrances.
Meet this Hyderabadi bus conductor whose unusual height has turned out to be a curse for him. 7-foot-tall Amin Ahmed Ansari, a resident of Shaheen Nagar area of Chandrayangutta, is working with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC).
Ansari’s abnormal height not only draws commuters’ attention, but it is also making the job difficult for him. The conductor says he’s struggling with a ‘lower’ roof and limited space inside the bus.
“I have to bend every time I get in or move inside. The roof is too low for me,” Ansari said. He also mentioned that the design of the conductor’s seat and the narrow aisle further make it difficult for him to move around freely.
Not only is Ansari experiencing physical discomfort, he also faces frequent stares and comments from passengers on the bus. “People often ask about my height or want to take photos with me. People’s requests are affecting my work,” he added.
Ansari’s father was an RTC employee at Kacheguda bus depot. He died of illness in 2021 while on duty and his son was given the conductor job on compassionate grounds. As he had studied up to the intermediate level, the Corporation appointed him as a bus conductor and posted him at the Mehdipatnam depot.
As Ansari’s shift involves a travel of 10-hour a day split into five trips, he is frequently facing severe physical strain due to the discomfort and lack of proper seating space on the bus. Given the lower height of the buses, which is only 195 cm (6 feet 4 inches), he cannot stand upright inside the bus. He’s forced to remain bent for long hours during duty. This has led to chronic neck and back pain, as well as sleep-related issues.
Passengers who regularly travel on his route say, “It’s unfair that he has to suffer like this.” They have appealed to the TGSRTC management to consider assigning him to a different role in the organisation.
