TSRTC scraps aging buses, but fails to replenish fleet

Hyderabad: Lack of bus services to various areas and people complaining even to the Supreme Court Chief Justice for bus is not a rare, but a common issue for the TSRTC as the management has failed to add required new buses in place of those which reached scrap stage. During the last four years 3,465 buses were scrapped and over 1,800 were nearing scrap stage in the corporation.

According to official sources, 2017-18 to 2020-21 the total number of scrapped buses was 3,465. When it is seen in terms of addition of new buses in place of scrapped vehicle only 2,294 new ones were procured. There were no efforts to fill the gap. The situation is such that 1,830 buses have completed 13 lakh km, which means these are also getting ready to be scrapped.

Commuters have been complaining about lack of buses in their areas. Recently, a student P Vaishnavi had to write to the Supreme Court Chief Justice NV Ramana to provide bus service to her village so that she can go to the school. The TSRTC restored the bus services when the CJI wanted officials to look into it.

Similarly, commuters had to face acute shortage of buses during the Medaram Jatara time when buses were diverted to clear pilgrim rush.

The TSRTC has a fleet of 10,000 buses. Their number has come down drastically. These buses are nearing scrap stage, but the corporation runs most buses claiming that they were being maintained well. As per the mechanical team in the corporation, buses can be operated till 12-13 lakh km. But they are operated beyond, and sometimes over 15 lakh km. Operating them is also not profitable for the corporation because they consume more diesel, more wear and tear; there will be no fitness.

The situation of buses can be gauged with frequent accidents. Last week a bus caught fire after hitting an auto in Achampet. "The bus can't catch fire just by hitting an auto. There must be a problem in wiring or other mechanical issue. Luckily there was no severity in the accident. If there were passengers, it would have been a big accident," said a TRC union leader.

According to an RTI, year-wise details are given on the number of scrapped buses and newly added buses. During 2017-18, 419 buses were scrapped, in 2018-19 (611), in 2019-20 (1,418), 2020 (990) and till June in 2021 (27). Details of new buses procured were: 1,764 in 2017-18, in 2018-19 (234), and in 2019-20 (296). No buses were procured in 2020 and till June 2021, according to data received under RTI.