Hyderabad: Wedding bells set RTC cash registers ringing

The record number of marriages in the State has helped the cash-strapped Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) generate record revenues with the Corporation earning over Rs 14 crore a single day, which has been highest in the recent years.

According to sources, the RTC raked in Rs 14.06 crore on November 22, with the State seeing a whopping seven lakh marriages on a single day. The Corporation operated buses covering 34.6 lakh kilometres on the day registering an occupancy ratio of 77.06 per cent and Rs 40.65 earnings per kilometre. This is the highest in the last couple of years. "The bus services and earnings were greatly affected during the two phases of Covid. The revenues saw a dip even during the Dasara rush where regular fares instead of 50 per cent additional fares were collected in special buses," said a senior official.

The official said that the Corporation earned around Rs 252 crore this November, which is 50 per cent more than the previous year corresponding month's earnings. "The fear of corona is receding among passengers and the occupancy ratio has increased this year compared to the previous year. While the occupancy ratio during this period in the previous year was 54.43, this year it has gone up to 66.25 per cent," the official said.

He further added that the average earnings per day for the Corporation were Rs 10 to Rs 12 crore and occupancy ratio was around 66 per cent, which was fluctuating on different days. "If the Corporation has to see the break even point, the occupancy ratio should be 76 to 77 per cent every day and the revenue should be Rs 14 crore, which is most unlikely in near future," he said, urging people to opt for travelling in RTC buses considering the increasing fuel prices and the safety.