TSRTC cargo services not as good as projected

Hyderabad: The TSRTC, which always touted that it had found a revenue generator in the form of cargo and parcel services and pumping oxygen into the corporation, seems to have finally realised that things are not as rosy as it had painted all these months. The TSRTC is now transferring cargo business in some districts to private agencies.

The TSRTC had started the cargo and parcel services from December 2020 and claimed that it had got good response. It said the new wing in the Corporation could take up shipping of 24 lakh parcels. Initially, the Corporation had started 54 parcel booking counters at different places. Now there are 177 RTC parcel booking counters in the state. The cargo and parcel services have fetched a revenue of Rs 24.12 crore since its inception, they had said.

But now sources say that the officials in the parcel wing had found that 140 out of the 177 parcel booking counters were operating with less than 100 parcels per counter per day. At many counters only one parcel was booked per day. Hence the officials have taken a decision to outsource the 140 counters which were handling just 1 to 100 parcel booking counters.

Sources said that the authorities have decided to form committees with divisional manager, depot manager, and administrative officer of the region to study the business volumes at the parcel booking counters and also to suggest the options to operate these counters. The authorities have told the officials to examine whether covered spaces were available or not; whether anyone was willing to come forward to take this business based on the existing potential of each centre; whether the private agencies are willing to put up temporary structures if no covered space was available to keep the parcels, and where covered space was available whether or not to collect rent or other charges.

A final decision on part privatisation would be taken after the committee gives its recommendations, a senior official told The Hans India.