Hyderabad, May 14: The state government is set to issue an order shortly to provide employment on compassionate grounds to the kin of any Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) employee in case their death while on duty, Transport Minister Botsa Satyanaryana announced on Saturday.
RTC unions and employees have been demanding this since the last few years.
Launching six new marketing schemes at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus station (MGBS) here, the minister further said that in two years time, around 6,000 old buses will be removed in a phased manner and one-third of the buses will be replaced by new ones. APSRTC is adding 200 to 300 buses every month, he said.
Satyanaryana said that APSRTC is not working for profit alone but also has a social obligation towards the society as well.
He also launched six new schemes for the benefit of the people.
“Though the petroleum prices have increased by leaps and bounds, APSRTC did not increase the price of tickets keeping in view that most of the poor people travel by RTC buses,” the minister said.
Earlier, APSRTC chairman M Satyanaryana asked the employees to work with dedication and provide better facilities to passengers, particularly the poor and needy, travelling in RTC buses.
APSRTC managing director B Prasada Rao said that the RTC is running more than 22,000 buses in the state which is a record in the country.
“We are trying our best to provide better amenities to the passengers travelling in RTC buses,” he said.
A call centre is also being set up to receive complaints from the passengers, he added.
–Agencies