The current year (2022) has brought cheer to the fund-starved AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) as its coffers have started filling with the revenue that has been on a steady rise, according to the officials.
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In a statement on Tuesday, the Corporation’s Executive Director, Operations, K.S. Brahmananda Reddy, said this summer season there was a considerable increase in the number of people travelling by RTC buses, bringing in sufficient revenue.
During the Sankranti season this year, the Corporation earned a revenue of Rs.15.40 crore on a single day on January 17, surpassing the revenue earned in any day in the last two years. The months of February and March brought a daily income of 15.30 crore and on April 18, a long weekend, the Corporation garnered a revenue of Rs. 18.62 crore. On May 23, the Corporation earnings touched Rs. 17.91 crore while on June 13, it was even better at Rs.18.33 crore.
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On June 12, the RTC buses plying between Tirupati and Tirumala, made additional trips (2,852) against the usual 2,300-2400 trips, resulting in 84% Occupancy Ratio in Tirupati district alone and fetching a revenue of Rs. 1.75 crore to the Corporation, he said.
The revenue earned by the public transport organisation through other means like cargo services and rents on stalls and other commercial establishments had also started looking up, said the official.
Mr. Reddy thanked people for extending their patronage to RTC buses even after implementing the diesel cess, which was helping the Corporation tide over its financial crisis to some extent. He said Palle Velugu, Luxury buses and a/c buses had been contributing a great deal in improving the revenues.
The official said compared to the buses belonging to the Telangana Road Transport Corporation, charges collected in the APSRTC buses were low and that was why people preferred to travel by “our buses”.
He said OR in RTC buses had improved in the last five days resulting in subsequent rise in the income. He said the Corporation would ensure availability of sufficient number of buses in July in view of the reopening of schools and colleges and the transport needs of the student community.