The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is faced with a huge challenge of overcoming accumulated revenue loss to the tune of ₹750 crore, admitted Transport Minister K. Atchannaidu on Friday.
Speaking to reporters after flagging off a fleet of 14 new air-conditioned buses of Corona make at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), the Minister said that this was the first phase of the 114 new long-distance buses to be acquired by the organisation. “The idea of inducting these buses in the RTC fleet is to extend improved services to the patrons.”
He said the RTC was a service organisation and its financial health would depend on the performance of its workers. “We would educate people and win their hearts by extending best services,” he said.
He said the organisation was yet to receive dues from the government to the tune of ₹100 crore under different heads. The Minister said there was a need to think out of the box to bring the public transport giant out of the red. “Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wants the organisation to focus on improving its efficiency to bridge the wide gap,” he said.
Taxation policy
Asked about the taxation policy, he said the government was looking into the issue and would come up with a solution soon. After formally inaugurating the buses, the Minister provided some rare moments to the news photographers and reporters of electronic channels present there.
He boarded one of the buses along with Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Telugu Desam Party MLA Gadde Ramamohan Rao, Mayor Koneru Sridhar, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of APSRTC M. Malakondaiah and a host of other officials besides media reporters and went behind the wheel.
He drove the vehicle to a small distance prompting the photographers and reporters to jostle with one another and capture the moment of the Minister in the driver’s seat.
APSRTC Executive Directors A.P. Rao, G. Jairao, A. Venkateswara Rao, R. Sasidhar, Vijayawada zone ED N. Venkateswara Rao, Krishna Regional Manager Rama Rao and many other officials were present.
