Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Chairman Varla Ramaiah on Saturday vowed to bring the loss-making PSU out of the red with several passenger-friendly initiatives and offering logistics service in a big way.
Addressing the media after interacting with passengers and workers at the RTC bus station here, he said, “The task cut out for me is a Herculean one in the wake of skyrocketing price of diesel.”
Thanks to the collective efforts by the workers and the management, the ailing PSU was able to bring down the losses by about 50% during 2017-18 from ₹718 crore in the previous year. “However, the diesel price which has gone up by about ₹7 per litre is upsetting our revival plans,” he said, adding no stone would be left unturned to wipe out the losses by roping in experts in the transport sector to cut down losses and improve revenue.
The APSRTC, which consumed 30 crore litres of diesel, was faced with a ₹210 crore loss on account of this, he explained.
Mr.Ramaiah, who presented awards to drivers for best driving practices, said despite resource crunch the government had acceded to the demand of workers for a pay hike. He wanted them to double the efforts to save fuel and contribute their mite to boost the RTC’s revenue.
The APSRTC was on the job of coming out with an action plan to improve the occupancy ratio and by expanding the logistics service in a big way, he said, after inspecting the working of the cargo service here. “We planned to reserve part of the space in the buses for carrying cargo,” he added.
Merger issue
After interacting with a group of passengers, he said the APSRTC’s fleet strength would be augmented to provide journey in a pleasant ambience to passengers.
Asked about the promise by the YSR Congress Party to merge the RTC with the State, he said he would present facts before Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu after studying the pros and cons to take a well-informed decision in this regard.
Workers pleaded with the APSRTC Chairman to curb illicit transport of persons by private bus operators causing a revenue loss to the tune of ₹1,600 crore to the APSRTC.
Misuse of powers by RTC officials would not be tolerated, he said, after taking complaints about suspension of workers on ‘flimsy ground’. All punishments awarded in the past would be reviewed and justice rendered to the workers, he said amid loud cheers by the workers at the RTC depot.
