Border village Pondugula in Palnadu misses Stree Shakti benefit as APSRTC buses skip route

Gurazala: Pondugula, a small village in Palnadu district on the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border, was once the centre of a major political moment. But, today the village is grappling with a basic connectivity issue — lack of bus services — that has left its residents, especially women, struggling in daily life. Despite the Stree Shakti scheme offering free bus travel for women in APSRTC services, the benefit has not reached Pondugula even a year after its launch.The reason is simple: APSRTC does not operate its Palle Velugu bus services through the village. Express services do not have a halt at this border village. With a population of around 3,000, including over 1,000 women who largely work as daily wage labourers and small vendors, the absence of public transport has turned routine travel into a costly affair. Residents depend heavily on nearby towns such as Dachepalli, Piduguralla, Gurazala, and Macharla for healthcare, education and essential supplies.Telangana's TSRTC buses operate regularly from Miryalaguda to Dachepalli and further into Andhra Pradesh, passing through villages like Gamalapadu, Ramapuram, Srinagar, and Pondugula. While these services provide a lifeline in terms of connectivity, women from AP are not eligible for free travel on TSRTC buses, effectively excluding them from the benefits of their own state's welfare scheme.Local TDP leader Shaik Rehman said the area's MLA, Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao, has already taken the issue to the notice of authorities and is hopeful of getting a solution. Expressing frustration over the situation, Narla Rama Rao, a daily wager, said despite multiple representations to APSRTC authorities, there has been no positive response. "We are being ignored when it comes to even basic facilities like bus services," he said.Echoing similar concerns, a self-help group member, Venkata Lakshmi, said the lack of free bus access has added to their financial burden. "We travel frequently for work and household needs. Without APSRTC buses, we are forced to spend more from our daily earnings," she said.