Stating that the government was initiating steps to strengthen TSRTC, Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy said that as part of it, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department has released Rs.336.40 crores to reimburse the losses sustained by the Corporation on Hyderabad City operations, through the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for the financial year 2015-2016.
Replying to the questions raised by the TRS MLAs Ashannagari Jeevan Reddy, Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar, Ravindra Kumar Ramavath and V Srinivas Goud during Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Mahender Reddy said that the state government has given a net amount of Rs.428.08 crores to the TSRTC to ease out the burden of Revised Pay Scales 2013. He said that the government has also released the balance of concessions amount for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15, by way of government guaranteed loan during the year 2015-16 to a tune of Rs.500 crore, which has eased the working capital shortage. The Minister said that the government has also released the balance of concessions for the year 2015-16 and part amount for the 2016-17 by way of government guaranteed loan during the year 2017-18 to a tune of Rs.350 crores. Further, the government has provided an amount of Rs.520 crores towards total reimbursement of Bus pass concessions for the year 2017-18 and released an amount of Rs.130 crores.
During the year 2015-16 and 2016-17 government has released an amount of Rs.39.93 crores and Rs.10 crores respectively for purchase of buses. Government has also provided an amount of Rs.140 crores towards purchase of Buses for the year 2017-18 to replace higher end buses for better commuter satisfaction and released amount of Rs.35 crores.
He said that the TSRTC introduced a total of 1507 various types of new buses (Garuda Plus-22, Garuda-11, Rajadhani AC-107, Super Luxury-448, Deluxe-47, Express-414, Pallevelugu-97, JnNURM buses-117, Mini AC Vajra-60, Mini Non AC-50, City Low Floor Metro Luxury AC-80, City Metro Express-4, Metro Deluxe-45, City Ordinary-5) as part of replacement of old aged buses, augmentation on existing routes and introduction of new buses on long distance routes covering Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Chattisgarh. He said that a balance of 197 new buses procured under 2016-17 plan will be deployed within three months and for the year 2017-18 it was proposed to procure 1175 various types of buses i.e.Garuda Plus AC, Rajadhani AC, Super Luxury, Deluxe, Express, Pallevelugu and City Ordinary buses.
The Minister said that tenders were called for the establishment of mini theatres in 31 bus stands and the expected revenue from them was Rs.four crore per year. He informed the House that the government was establishing 105 petrol bunks in bus stands. The government was initiating steps continuously to control the private buses and to strengthen the TSRTC, he said and made it clear that the government was also initiating all sorts of steps for the employees job security. The government was also considering the matter relating to payment of salaries during strike period. He said that construction of Khammam Bus Stand was nearing completion and that the bus stand was constructed within six months time. He said that the government has regularised 4000 contract employees’ jobs.
The Minister stressed that the public representatives have to travel in the RTC buses, as was being done by the Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary, once in a month. Congress Member T Jeevan Reddy, CPM lone member Sunnam Rajaiah also raised questions on the issue. (NSS