Hyderabad: Some passengers in the TSRTC buses are stealing sanitizer bottles or the liquid is spilling over, therefore, the biggest public transport agency in Hyderabad has stopped its supply. “We are giving just one bottle to each bus driver. That is it,” a senior TSRTC official told siasat.com on Friday.
One of the most affected institutions across the world due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is public transport and Hyderabad was no different. Bus services in the capital city of Telangana had infact resumed about two weeks ago with strict sanitation measures, including the use of sanitizers.
However, ironically, brand new sanitizer stands set up in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses exclusively for the safety of the customers are in fact lying stands empty. Moreover, even some bus conductors are moving around while at work without facemasks or with a handkerchief carelessly tied around the neck.
When the issue was brought to the notice of Venkateshwerlu Veerla, Executive Officer, TSRTC (Hyderabad), he said that the bottles were either getting stolen or that the sanitizer was spilling liquid over and getting wasted. “Each driver is given one bottle of sanitizer. Conductors have been given two bottles of sanitisers. One for themselves and the other for passengers. The sanitizer will be dispensed to the passengers when the come to buy tickets,” the official said. Each bus is being sanitized three times a day, he added.
City buses hit the roads in Hyderabad from September 25 almost after six months. The TSRTC resumed a total of 2,800 buses from 29 depots in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits.
Slight increase in revenue
The revenue of RTC, which dropped by over 70 per cent, has been slightly improving. From 15 lakhs to 45 lakhs passenger per day.
However, the corporation has a long way to go to reach its pre-lockdown daily revenue of Rs 13 crore. “We can only improve our revenue when the corporation is operated full-fledged and the public starts travelling in buses. Despite facing losses in operations, we are running buses for the convenience of passengers,” said a senior official.