5 days ago
‘Giri Pradakshina' turns out to be ‘galla-brimming' fete for auto drivers
Visakhapatnam: For auto-rickshaw drivers, 'Giri Pradakshina' turned out to be a 'galla-brimming' festival. From Wednesday midnight to Thursday noon, the auto-drivers were busy fleecing the devotees by charging unbelievable rates for each trip.
Lakhs of devotees arrived at Simhachalam for 'Giri Pradakshina', commencing their trek right from the wee hours of Wednesday. The festival drew devotees not just from Visakhapatnam but also from neighbouring districts and states as well.
Approximately, 7 lakh to 8 lakh devotees took part in the Giri Pradakshina this year. Barring the deployed fleet of RTC buses that were plying in full capacities, the transport facility provided for the festival failed to cater to such a massive turnout. This prompted many devotees to board auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations. Cashing in on the demand, auto-rickshaw drivers demanded exorbitant rates from the passengers. After completing a long tiring trek under the scorching sun, G Madhavi, who works as a housemaid, was desperate to reach home. 'I was shocked when the auto-rickshaw driver demanded Rs.600 to drop me from Ghosala to HB Colony,' she mentioned.
However, with no other mode of transport coming in handy, Madhavi was left with no other choice than to travel in the auto-rickshaw. Sharing a similar experience, Mahesh Patro, another devotee from Odisha who completed the 32-km-long trek, said, 'I paid Rs.1,000 to get dropped to Visakhapatnam railway station from Simhachalam. As I had to catch the train, I ended up paying the amount charged by the auto driver.'
Most auto-rickshaws along the Simhachalam route were seen overloaded with not less than 10 passengers per trip, both on Giri Pradakshina day and the following day.
In the meantime, netizens took to social media platforms to share traffic woes experienced as several locations, including Hanumanthawaka, Vepagunta and Simhachalam, witnessed traffic snarls.
