Hyderabad, Feb 27 (IANS): Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has decided to offer buses on hire for devotees visiting Shiva temples on Mahashivratri festival.

For a group of 30 or more passengers, state-owned TSRTC will offer bus services from their residences or colonies to Shiva temples in Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

TSRTC Vice Chairman and Managing Director V. C. Sajjanar said devotees can book buses through TSRTC call centre 040-30102829/68153333 or they can contact nearest bus depot managers or bus station managers for booking the buses.

"Devotees can utiliSe this offer to have safe and happy journey together with their near and dear family members to various Shiva temple shrines in TSRTC buses during their festive season," he said.

While TSRTC offer special buses on the occasion of Dassara and Sankranti every year, this is the first time that it is offering to operate buses on hire during Mahashivratri festival.

This is seen as another move by the TSRTC to increase its revenues and overcome the losses.

Last month, the TSRTC had operated over 4,000 special buses from Hyderabad to various destinations in both the Telugu states for Sankranti festival.

The state-owned transport body had also operated 3,845 buses for Medaram Jatara, Asia's biggest tribal festival held in Telanagana's Mulugu district from February 16 to 19.

TSRTC is also operating special buses for the public visiting 'Numaish', the popular trade fair in Hyderabad.

'Numaish', which had to be shut a day after opening on January 1 due to surge in Covid cases, resumed on February 25.