The ongoing APSRTC employees strike as part of the ‘Sakala Janula Samme' is not only causing losses to the corporation but also leaving commuters, particularly bus pass holders in the city fuming.
Ever since the employees strike commenced on September 18th midnight, majority of buses have been confined to the respective depots.
As a result, the bus pass holders, including general bus pass holders, Metro, Deluxe and students bus pass holders hardly had any opportunity to use of their passes.
Spending about Rs.600 for a monthly general bus pass ticket, about Rs.700 for Metro pass and Rs. 800 for Deluxe bus pass, majority of pass holders are now at a loss including students and air-conditioned bus pass holders.
“Travelling in autorickshaws and cabs, I am forced to pay more for transport. To make matters worse, not utilising the bus pass is an additional loss,” says Narsimha Rao, a general bus pass ticket holder.
Every month, over 50,000 general bus passes, 25,000 Metro bus passes and 25,000 Deluxe bus passes are sold in the city. While, many pass holders are forced to renew their passes despite the strike, others, whose validity of passes expires shortly, are in a quandary.
“My bus pass validity expires in three days and I am not willing to renew it. There is no guarantee as to when the strike will end. Renewing the pass while being forced to travel in cabs and autos is ridiculous,” says Prakash Rao, a private employee.
Losses
On the other hand, APSRTC authorities too are clueless about the plight of bus pass holders. Though, it is definitely a loss for the commuters, it is tough to extend the due dates (for renewal) of passes or to redeem loss due to strike, says a senior official.
“The Greater Hyderabad zone is already reeling under losses ever since the strike commenced. Right from day one, we suffered a loss of about Rs.25 crore. Pass holders will have to bear with us,” pleads the official.
