Hyderabad witnessed a festive atmosphere on New Year as temples and churches across the city saw a surge in devotees. Many temples organized special prayers for the occasion.
The newly launched free bus services for women have boosted pilgrim tourism in the city. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) witnessed packed buses with women passengers heading to various shrines.
Several temples in Hyderabad, such as Peddamma Temple, Birla Mandir, Jagannath Temple, and Chilkur Balaji Temple, were crowded with devotees. The newly opened Dakshin Ke Badrinath Temple in Medchal also saw a large number of devotees offering prayers. Similarly, Yadadri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple saw devotees seeking the divine presence of the god and goddess on New Year’s Day.
According to TSRTC officials, there has been a significant increase in demand for buses bound for Yadadri, Chilkur, Keesaragutta, and Bhadrachalam. The introduction of the Mahalakshmi scheme has led to a higher occupancy ratio for women in buses, with an increase from 69 to 98 percent. On peak days, the occupancy ratio used to be 75 percent, but after the scheme was introduced, it has reached 99 to 100 percent.
