Executive Director of AP State Road Transport Corporation A. Ramakrishna inaugurated computerised online reservation counters at the Maddilapalem Bus Stand of RTC on Wednesday. He handed over the reserved tickets to the first purchaser D. Satyanarayana, who has booked his ticket to travel by Garuda plus to Tirupathi on April 27.
Regional Manager Y. Jagadeesh Babu, Chief Traffic Managers Jeevan Prasad (rural) and A. Veeraiah Choudhary (urban), officials, staff and trade union leaders were present on the occasion. Later speaking to the media, the Executive Director said that six Vennela buses (AC Sleeper), two each to Hyderabad and Tirupathi, six Garuda plus (multi-axle) buses, a number of semi-luxury and deluxe buses were being operated to different destinations from Visakhapatnam. He said that efforts were being made to popularise other bus stations apart from the Dwaraka Bus Station (RTC Complex). Mr. Ramakrishna said that all the Vennela and Garuda buses would hereafter leave from the Maddilapalem Bus Station and go via RTC Complex. Passengers could board them at either bus stand. Reserved passengers would also be allowed to board the Vennela and Garuda buses at certain identified junctions in the city like Rama Talkies junction, Gurudwara, NAD Kotha Road junction and Gajuwaka. Reservation facilities would be extended at all these identified points through a single window system.
He said that the MVP Bus Station and Simhachalam Bus Station would also be developed in future. The Regional Manager said that mini bus would be launched in about a month to transport reserved passengers travelling by Vennela and Garuda services to and from their homes to the nearest boarding or alighting point.