Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Drive against illegal transport operators moves into high gear

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD JUNE 27. Continuing the efforts to curb illicit operations by private operators, the Transport Department and the State Road Transport Corporation authorities have decided to launch a drive to check lorries illegally transporting commuters to different destinations.

In view of the increasing number of accidents involving overloaded jeeps and seven-seater autos, the transport authorities, in association with the police and RTC, have decided to concentrate on the movement of these vehicles on all important routes. In view of the difficulties involved in monitoring the movement of vehicles on all routes, the departments have also decided to identify potential routes on which illicit operations are rampant and take steps to curb them.

Decisions to this effect were taken at a meeting of the high-power committee of the Transport, RTC and Police Departments headed by the Special Chief Secretary (TR&B), J. Rambabu, on Friday.

The high-power committee was constituted consequent on the 24-day strike by RTC employees in November 2001.

The members of the high-power committee reportedly expressed concern that district-level committees were not meeting regularly to review the progress of the decisions taken at the earlier meetings. Ironically, this is the sixth meeting of the State-level high-power committee after its constitution and the first after a gap of 10 months.

According to sources, the meeting had its share of contradicting views on the projections given by the RTC about the losses incurred due to illicit operations.

The RTC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, R.P Singh, is said to have expressed concern that the RTC was losing an estimated Rs. 800 to Rs. 900 crore revenues due to illicit operations.

The Transport officials, however, differed with the projections claiming that even if the entire illicit operations were curbed, the occupancy ratio of the RTC would not cross 72 per cent as against the 65 per cent at present. "The projections are really not credible as the occupancy ratio cannot go beyond 72 per cent. Even if the corporation opts for increasing the number of buses, it will only result in a fall in the occupancy ratio,'' a senior Transport official said adding the corporation should instead concentrate on running the existing fleet more efficiently to augment its revenues. Speaking to The Hindu, the RTC Managing Director said the district-level committees had been directed to convene meetings every month to review the progress of the drive to check illicit operations.

The district-level RTC officials had been asked to intensify the drives focussing on the lorries and other four wheelers illegally carrying passengers. "While the problem with the permitted stage carriages is overloading, it is totally illegal for the lorries and jeeps to transport the commuters.

Hence, it is decided to concentrate on these vehicles,'' he said.

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