Vijayawada: Continued negligence of the authorities of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has left the bus station on the national highway at Jaggaihapet in NTR district deserted. It was mentioned that the bus station remained non-operational even after a year of its inauguration. The new bus station on Vijayawada-Hyderabad NH-16 was inaugurated in March 2024, prior to the general elections. APSRTC vice-chairman and managing director Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao had promised for further improvement of the facilities, including a security post during its inauguration.Jaggaiahpet is first town in Andhra Pradesh after crossing neighbouring Telangana. APSRTC authorities wanted to make an inter-state bus station on the national highway. Although, the proposal was made immediately after bifurcation of the state, it took nearly a decade for the works to complete. In fact, Jaggaiahpet town is a junction for many towns and villages in both AP and Telangana. APSRTC has been operating a separate bus station here to facilitate the plying of regular inter-city buses between Vijayawada and passenger-buses to nearby villages. APSRTC had also planned restrooms for the bus crew and passengers in Jaggaiahpet highway bus station as it is the first available bus station on AP soil. The highway bus station was planned to help locals travel between Vijayawada and Hyderabad easily. At present, several dozens of passengers, who booked their tickets online to travel to either Hyderabad or Vijayawada, are waiting on the national highway under scorching heat or heavy rains. Despite completion of the works, it was said that officials did not bother to begin operations at the new bus station. Locals fuming at the authorities for making Nandigama, which is a smaller town than Jaggaiahpet, the focal point on highway despite the fact that the depot premises submerges during the monsoon.
