......................  HOME                     My Tirupati History:    Transport in Tirupati




This is a collection of favourite pictures. Many are nothing special if you lived in India but were stange and attractive to a new visitor from England.

When I first came to Tirupati in 1982 the only way to travel into town was on the town bus or by cycle rickshaw - as seen here. Over the years these became less common, being replaced by the autorickshaws (just shout AUTO and they come). Shared autos (up to 9 crammed passengers) then appeared.

Bicycles were the usual personal transport. These were gradually taken over by bikes (motorbikes and motor scooters) and much later by personal cars.

During early visits the rare cars were usually the Ambassadors - based on the UK Morris Oxford.

The main loads were carried by ox carts, modified bicycles and tractor-pulled trailers


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..................... Biycles Bikes (motorbikes) Rickshaws        Autorickshaws Ox carts Tractors Human carriers Trains Bus          


..................... Bicycles  
 
  1982 The essential repair shop 1993 The temple elephants with their helpers on bikes
 
     
  1999  The main types of transport 2007    
 
  2008. A friend arriving from school at Upurapalli 2008
 
  2008     
 
  2010 Overloaded
 
  2010 2011   Always difficult to hurry away when there are two on the bike
 
  2012   Main Thumulagunta village    Home time 2012   Returning the empties
 
  2013   Sai and Mounish setting off for home from a guest house visit 2013
 
TOP 2014   Badri, Daya, Barath (with Kalyan) and Manoj celebrating Barath's new bicycle 2014
     

.................... Bikes  
 
  1984   Near Kapilatheertham temple 2000    Surya and Kiran
 
  2000   Murali showing off his bike.   Bike ownership remains the teenagers' dream 2002    Imran, Madhu and Gopi, stting off on the drive home to Chittoor (40 miles away)
 
  2003   Seshi, a friend who wanted to be a model or racing driver 2005   Madhu, waiting to drive me back down the mountains to Chittoor
 
  2006    By now bikes had taken over from bicycles. The traffic light at Balaji colony 2006   The bike park near cricket ground
 
  2008   Shopping in 'garland' street 2010   Every boy's dream. Mounish and Bobby wanting a photo on Balaji's bike in Thumulagunta
 
  2010    Waiting at the level crossing. I am not sure which is most overloaded
 
  2010    Banana leaves for plates 2011   A near neighbour mine (on the rear) who gave me coffee in the morning before he went off to college on bike
 
  2012   The dream of Barath (Balu) on a friend's bike in Thumulagunta village (Mallepalle)
 
  2012 2013   Suman
 
  2013    Barath and friends leaving the guest house "Sir, Sir they have no licence" 2014Some Thumulagunta friends
 
  2015    Gopi (centre) driving off home with dad and brother Jaya 2015   He asked for photo. "Why the face masks";    "To keep my family safe"
 
TOP 2015   On my usual morning walk.    Cleaning teeth while driving is usual. 2015
     
  Rickshaws  
 
  1982    Rickshaws waiting for me at guest house. The one on the right was a regular driver.

One of my first rides. I was popular with the locals rickshaws as i got our to walk if the road was steep

 
  1992  At Balaji Colony 1993   Going into the setting sun
 
  1996  Rickshaws, scooter and bikes with problems
 
TOP 2000   Peaceful evening on Ghandi road - the last of the setting sun 2002   Autos waiting for custom
     

.................... Ox-carts  
 
1982 My glasses were once run over by one of these huge wheels  
 
  1982   just leaving town 1984 Thumulagunta
 
  1984   The rubber-tired ox-cart on the road outside my SVU guest house 1992  On the road from Tirupati - followed by a black Ambassador
 
  Just outside Thumulagunta 1993   Note the passenger
 
  1993    The god is being shielded from sun 1993   Sadly starving I think
 
  2001     The traditional large-wheel oxcart replaced by 4-wheeled tyred trailer A rare rubber-tyred two wheeler with ubiquitous auto.
 
  2003  Balaji Colony 2004    
 
TOP 2005    In the dairy farm 2006   A convoy of ox carts carrrying steel rods for reinforced concrete
     
  Autorickshaws (Autos)  
 
  1993   At the level crossing 2008 On the Upparappali road. My friends guarding a rickshaw for me
 
  2008   A modified auto 2008 Waiting for me at Thumulagunta road
 
  2010   A political auto A more recent develpment - the 'shared rickshaw'. Up to 9. Cheap fixed fare
 
  2015   My usual gang of friendly auto drivers at the University 3rd gate My village friends negotiationg auto price for my ride home
   
TOP 2015 Amen  
  Human carriers  
 
  1982 The road down to Thumulagunta 1984  Mahabalipuram
     
 
    2003   In the hills beyond Chittoor
 
  2006   At Imran's at Cuddapa 2006 On my usual morning walk in the beautiful morning light near the guest house
 
  2006   Water from guest house tap for use by builders next door  
   
TOP 2010    Off to a rushed paint job  
     
  Buses and lorries  
 
  1993. Express bus proving its name 2003   On the way to Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu
 
  2003    The school bus 2008   Pilgrims arriving at the TTD Choudhries
 
  2010   'Superluxury' does have windows 2010   I do like lorries
 
  2011 Morning walk hazards: builder's sand lorry and school bus This time they slowed down for one photo sir
 
  2012      My daily request stop 2012   Today they jumped out for a few seconds for photo
   
TOP 2013       
     
  Trains    Many more pictures on the Railways page
  1984  
TOP   1993   One of the last steam trains
  Tractors  
 
  2000    On the way to the chilli harvest in Konanki. They found room for me 2003   In hills above Chittoor with Gopi and Imran
 
  2006 2008   Frequently loaded with newly-baked bricks, coming into Tirupati
   
TOP 2014    The early morning brick run  
 


   
....................    
  A few transport specials  
 
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