Godavari Flood and the Bhadrachalam Route Decision
Heavy releases from upstream dams raise the Godavari at Bhadrachalam to 51.2 feet, above the first warning level. The low-level bridge on the direct Khammam route is submerged, and the district administration has barred movement on the causeway. Seven TGSRTC buses are scheduled to leave Bhadrachalam with 380 passengers, including 11 dialysis patients and a school group. The only all-weather alternative via Kothagudem adds 46 km and about 70 minutes each way. The depot has 620 litres of diesel, and buses average 5.2 km per litre. Drivers are already near the 8-hour duty limit. The control room reports that the river may rise another 2 feet by nightfall. The depot manager must decide whether to run, hold or cancel services, and how to prioritise the dialysis patients without creating a second crowd emergency.
1. Calculate the additional fuel and time implications of moving all seven buses via Kothagudem, and state whether the depot's diesel stock is sufficient.
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Additional distance: 7 buses × 46 km = 322 km.
Additional fuel: 322 ÷ 5.2 = 61.9 litres, approximately 62 litres.
Fuel stock: 620 litres is more than sufficient for the diversion itself, leaving about 558 litres for normal duty. Fuel is therefore not the binding constraint.
Time: each one-way trip is about 70 minutes longer. Seven buses do not add 7 × 70 minutes to the clock because they move concurrently, but each crew's duty extends by at least 70 minutes one way, and the return trip extends it again. With drivers already near the 8-hour limit, a full round trip via Kothagudem is likely to breach duty-hour rules unless relief crews or a rest halt are arranged. The calculation therefore supports a limited operation with crew relief, not an unrestricted seven-bus dispatch.
2. Should the depot run all seven buses, hold them, or run a prioritised service? Justify your decision using the flood, duty-hour and passenger factors.
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The depot should run a prioritised service, not all seven buses and not a blanket cancellation.
- Flood risk: the direct route is barred and the river may rise another 2 feet. The alternative via Kothagudem is all-weather, but the situation can change. A full fleet movement into a rising flood zone increases the risk of stranding and of buses being diverted to rescue duties.
- Passenger need: 11 dialysis patients have a time-critical medical need. The school group and general passengers can wait or be rebooked. Sending all seven buses would create a large convoy with no reserve.
- Crew limits: drivers are near the 8-hour limit. The first three buses should carry the dialysis patients and essential passengers, with relief drivers arranged at Kothagudem or a rest halt.
- Reserve: keep at least two buses at Bhadrachalam for emergency evacuation and for passengers already at the bus station.
The decision should be recorded with the control room, and the remaining passengers given clear revised departure times rather than indefinite waiting.
3. What coordination and communication actions should the depot manager take with the district administration and the passengers?
Read the worked answer
The manager should act as part of the district flood response, not as an isolated operator:
- Inform the control room and district administration of the plan: three buses via Kothagudem, two held for emergency, two released only after a route check. Give vehicle numbers, driver names and expected times.
- Confirm the route with the police or revenue officials at Kothagudem; do not rely on informal reports. Ask for an escort or a route clearance if the administration recommends one.
- Prioritise dialysis patients by checking their appointment times, issuing written priority passes and arranging a separate boarding point away from the general crowd.
- Communicate to passengers in Telugu at the bus station: which services are running, which are held, and when the next update will be given. Avoid announcing a departure time that cannot be met.
- Record the decision in the depot diary, including the flood level, the administration's advice, the crew relief arrangement and the reasons for holding buses. This protects the depot if the route is later questioned.