TSRTC night-halt drivers get only 4–5 hours of rest in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Drivers operating night-halt services of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) are struggling with inadequate rest and poor facilities during long-distance trips.
RTC night-halt drivers sleep barely four to five hours
Drivers who start their duty around 1–2pm finish by 10.30pm after driving continuously for eight to nine hours. On reaching the destination, they often sleep either on bus seats or on the floor of small, crowded rooms that accommodate six to eight drivers. By the time they complete dinner and lie down, it is close to 11.30pm. Most have to resume duty by 3.30am or 4am, leaving them with less than five hours of sleep.
Private bus drivers face similar conditions
Drivers of private long-distance services to cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore and Kochi also face rest shortages. Although each bus has two drivers, the berth meant for the second driver is often allotted to passengers.
Poor facilities at night halts
At Uppal in Hyderabad, 37 buses from depots like Warangal-2 and Thorrur halt overnight. Drivers sleep inside buses parked along the roadside and use nearby Sulabh complexes for basic needs. Those arriving around 10.30pm must start again by 4am, with some buses leaving as early as 3am.
“We sleep on the floor,” say drivers
Around 40 buses from depots in Suryapet, Thorrur and Jangaon reach Jagadgirigutta by 10.30–11pm and depart again by 4am. “There’s hardly any proper sleep. Eight of us sleep in one small room and bring our own bed sheets,” said a driver.
A Miryalaguda–Hyderabad express bus that leaves at 2pm reaches Jagadgirigutta at 11pm and departs again at 4am, reaching Suryapet by 10am. The same driver completes nearly 20 hours of duty with only a brief night halt. Even major bus stations like MGBS and JBS have limited restrooms for drivers.
