Even as uncertainty looms large over the lifting of lockdown on April 14, people in the city have started booking bus tickets for various destinations from April 15.
According to sources, a majority of the seats in APSRTC services bound to Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram, Guntur, Eluru and other places in the State and Hyderabad in Telangana have already been booked online for April 15.
However, there has been no official confirmation that the lockdown will be lifted.
A few days ago, the APSRTC made bus tickets available for online booking and people started booking the tickets. Among them, many are said to be those who work in other places or are stuck in the city due to the lockdown.
‘Utter confusion’
However, some passenger say that their tickets booked for the journey dates after April 15 have been cancelled and they have got the refunds.
“I came to my mother’s house in the city and have got stuck due to the lockdown. I booked tickets in bus, train and flight. However, the tickets have been cancelled and money refunded. I do not understand what this means. As the portals are opened for booking, I was under the impression that the lockdown would be lifted on April 14. But with the cancellation of tickets, the suspense continues,” says T. Swathi, a resident of Hyderabad.
APSRTC responds
APSRTC Regional Manager M.Y. Danam says that the bookings are open, but plying of buses depends on the lifting of lockdown.
“We are waiting for the government’s decision on lockdown. If the lockdown is extended, the ticket money will be refunded to the passengers,” the Regional Manager adds.