Weighed down by the burden of ever-increasing costs of operations, senior officials of the A.P. State Road Transport Corporation are mulling to increase the bus fares steeply.
Going by indications from the RTC top brass, the corporation is likely to work out fares for various services by this weekend and send the proposals to the government for approval. A steep hike in fare is the last resort for the cash-strapped corporation which is unable to raise funds either from financial institutions or from the government.
The last hike in fares was effected in September 2012. Diesel prices have increased at least five times since then, pointed out a senior official, adding that hike in price of diesel by Re. 1 meant a burden of about Rs. 80 crore a year for the Corporation.
The recent loss in revenues to the tune of Rs. 745 crore due to the 60-day strike in support of a unified State, that ended on October 12, has only compounded the woes of the RTC. Currently, the fares are Rs. 2.30 per km in a ‘Vennela’ service, Garuda Plus (Volvo and Mercedes Benz) Rs. 1.50, Garuda (Rs. 1.40), Indra (Rs.1.20), Super Luxury (Re. 0.92), Deluxe (Re. 0.80), Express (Re. 0.74 and for travel on the rural service ‘Palle Velugu,’ it is 55 paise per km.
