Hyderabad: Natives of Kerala, Puducherry and Assam living in Hyderabad travelled back to their home states on April 9 to cast their vote, with the majority opting for train journeys. Many planned their travel in advance according to their means, with trains most preferred, followed by buses and flights.
For Assamese residents in Hyderabad, the numbers were smaller, most employed in the hotel industry. From one restaurant in Secunderabad, around eight to ten staff left to vote. Akilesh Kumar, general manager of a three‑star hotel, said: “This election particularly, they woke up as a revolution, took leave and left in the first week of April.” Most travelled by train, including services from Charlapalli to Silchar, Kamakhya Amrit Bharat and Agartala.
For Keralites, the recently flagged‑off Charlapalli–Thiruvananthapuram Amrit Bharat train proved a boon. Other services included Secunderabad–Thiruvananthapuram and Hyderabad–Kollam. Hyderabad hosts a large Malayali community, estimated at around eight lakh. Surendran, president of Velu Malyali Global Council, said: “We take the elections seriously. People of Kerala are looking for the betterment of the state, irrespective of any party. We want Kerala to develop well. We lack industries and job opportunities, so our people here have a strong mindset to return home and vote.”
Surendran, who praised Hyderabad, added, “I came here 42 years ago as a humble worker. Later I started a manufacturing industry. Now I am into education and hospitality, running a five‑star hotel.”
Travel from Puducherry was also significant, with the Kacheguda–Puducherry train recording full occupancy for the past week. Many natives left earlier, while others departed on April 8.
Private bus operators reported poor bookings due to long distances, with individuals preferring to travel independently, leaving little business in that sector.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
