APSRTC has made arrangements to issue free and concessional bus passes to students for the academic year 2010-11.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, T.V.S. Sudhakar, Vizianagaram Depot Manager, said that ‘green colour' identity cards would be issued for free passes and ‘magenta colour' for concessional passes.
Free pass-holders can travel up to 20 km from their homes and these would be issued separately to students studying in classes 1 to 7 and to girls below class 10. The cost for free pass is Rs. 18. The cost of identity card and application form for high school and college students is Rs. 13 and they can travel within 35 km from their homes on concessional pass. The Depot Manager said that in addition to free and concessional passes, monthly and quarterly passes would also be issued. During the academic year 2009-2010, the corporation had issued 4,231 free passes and 9,451 concessional passes to students. The corporation is also making arrangements to issue passes to high school and college students on dates to be notified after receiving details of each student from educational institutions. The corporation would collect Rs.10 as service charge.
He said bus passes of ITI, polytechnic, Intermediate, degree second year students would be renewed. The corporation would permit engineering college students to travel by metro services also between Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.