TGRTC plans 4,000 special buses for Medaram Jathara
HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGRTC) will operate 4,000 buses for the Medaram Jathara 2026, with special services running from January 25 to February 1, officials said.
Special bus operations from January 25
Medaram Jathara will be held from January 28 to 31, 2026. TGRTC will set up a temporary bus station at Medaram and operate special buses from multiple depots across the state. Special operations will begin on January 25 and continue till February 1.
During the 2024 jathara, TGRTC operated 3,491 buses and transported 16.82 lakh passengers in both directions.
20 lakh pilgrims expected; free travel for women
With the Mahalakshmi Scheme offering free travel for women, TGRTC expects nearly 20 lakh pilgrims to use RTC buses during the period. Women pilgrims will be transported free of charge in line with the state government policy.
Temporary bus station, staff deployment
A temporary bus station has been set up on 50 acres allotted by the district administration. Fifty queue lines, stretching a total of 9 km, have been arranged to facilitate boarding for different destinations, accommodating around 20,000 passengers at a time.
Temporary sheds covering 1.10 lakh sq ft have been erected for passenger waiting areas, crew rest rooms and maintenance activities. Parking space spanning 25.76 acres has been developed at Medaram and Kamaram to accommodate about 1,000 buses.
TGRTC has identified 51 traffic-generating points across the erstwhile districts of Warangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad and Khammam, besides Hyderabad, to operate special services.
Monitoring, traffic management and safety
A total of 10,441 employees, including 7,000 drivers, 1,811 conductors, 759 security personnel and other staff, along with 153 officers, will be deployed round the clock. Thirteen departmental goods transport vehicles, two cranes and one tractor have been positioned to handle minor repairs and en-route breakdowns.
Fuel top-up arrangements have been made at seven private petrol bunks along the routes. Twelve jeeps and eight motorcycles will patrol approach roads to prevent unauthorised stoppages and traffic congestion, with mobile communication systems provided by the police.
Guards will be stationed at critical points between Hanamakonda and Tadvai, including narrow culverts and tank bunds such as Gundla vagu and Jalagalancha vagu. Motorcycle patrolling will also be arranged between Tadvai and Medaram.
A command control centre with 76 CCTV cameras will monitor traffic flow at the temporary bus station. Drinking water, toilets and medical camps with ambulances and doctors will be provided in coordination with the Rural Water Supply department.
TGRTC said bus services for the general public across districts and Hyderabad may be reduced between January 25 and February 1 due to diversion of buses for the jathara.
