Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy today said that they are planning to purchase 1500 new buses to strengthen the TSRTC. He held a high level review meeting on the functioning of TSRTC at Secretariat here with the officials.
The Minister took stock of the RTC services, facilities, revenues, losses and other conditions prevailing in the corporation. The meeting proposed to purchase new fleet of vehicles and send the same to the notice of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. ‘We will urge the chief minister on the need for 1500 new buses as the fleet comprises old buses. Reddy said that priority will be given to ply mini- buses for the convenience of the IT Sector employees.
He said that the RTC is incurring revenue losses up to Rs.480 crore in the 96 depots in various districts. Instructing the officials to check the losses and put the RTC on the track to increase earning, with a plan of action, the minister said that the government is extending all support to protect the state run corporation. Mahender Reddy recalled that Chief Minister has already offered Rs 2000 crore to improve the functioning of the RTC, though there is no significant change, he said. ‘We have purchased some new buses and will purchase adequate number of buses and it is for the RTC officials and staff to check the losses’.
He informed that in all, only 27 depots have shown some profits in Karimnagar, Ranga Reddy Regions and those depots in Mahbubnagar, Medak districts are incurring losses. However, the minister appreciated the RTC for getting fuel efficiency award at national level. The TSRTC has achieved 5.45 kilometer per liter of fuel and the accidental rate is only 0.07 per cent and this is a major achievement compared to other State transport corporations in the country. New buses to be purchased will replace the existing 1100 old buses and cater to the needs of IT companies while the staff strength was increased to 4 lakhs from 3 lakhs. Keeping this in view we plan to put in place more number of buses of mini type to meet the demand of the IT people, he added.(NSS)