Private operators warned against fleecing public

Transport Minister shares WhatsApp helpline number for reporting excess fare collections

Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah on Friday warned private bus operators against fleecing passengers heading home after the Sankranti festival.

At a press conference, the Minister shared a WhatsApp helpline number (8309887955) where passengers can report instances of excess fare being charged by private bus operators. The Minister said that stringent action would be taken in such cases.

Before Sankranti, Transport Department officials conducted raids, booked 3,132 cases and seized 546 buses for various violations, Mr. Venkataramaiah said, adding that the A.P. State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) had pressed additional buses into service to cater to the festival rush and advised people to make use of them.

Of the vehicles seized for violations, the highest number (202) was from Krishna district, followed by 198 buses in Visakhapatnam district. He said the surprise checks by the department would continue till Monday (January 20).

The Minister said that the government was aware of the fact that the private bus operators would fleece passengers during every festival, and so asked the Transport Department to conduct surprise checks and bring the violators to book.

The Minister urged people to give priority to safety and choose the APSRTC buses as their preferred mode of transportation.

Slams Pawan Kalyan

Referring to the alliance between Jana Sena Party (JSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Minister accused JSP chief Pawan Kalyan of resorting to politics of opportunism. “Mr. Pawan Kalyan had criticised the failure of the TDP and the YSRCP governments to secure Special Category Status, denied to the State by the Modi government at the Centre. Why then has he now moved closer to the BJP without even mentioning about SCS?” Mr. Venkataramaiah questioned.