TSRTC unlikely to resume AC bus services in City

Hyderabad: The TSRTC is still mum on providing AC bus services to the commuters in Hyderabad even after the mercury in the city has crossed 40 degrees Celsius. The public are not willing to use the metro rail as they feel it expensive. The AC cabs can be taken as second option but the public feel that it is too expensive. Though the TSRTC boast of hi-tech AC bus shelters, the corporation is in no mood to ply the AC buses on roads. The TSRTC used to play 80 AC buses as 'Metro Luxury' in Hyderabad with a minimum fare of Rs 25. After the end of second lockdown, the passengers number fell sharply and later these buses did not come on the roads. Now, as the common man is reeling under the scorching sun, the AC buses can be the best option for the commuters to ply with a minimum fair charge. The AC cabs are charging the passengers from Rs 100 to 150 during every journey.

The AC buses used to ply mostly on the Jubilee Hills, Hi-tech City and Madhapur roads and after the second lockdown, the TSRTC began the services by 40 per cent. After the Covid-linked restrictions were lifted, the TSRTC claimed all the services are back on roads. But the 'Metro Luxury AC buses services are yet come on to the roads

According to the sources from TSRTC, around 50 of the Metro Luxury AC buses are converted into Rajadhani buses which are used for services to the districts in the State. It is said that 30 per cent of the same buses will be converted into Rajadhani buses. OSD to MD of TSRTC, Venka Reddy stated that after Covid-19 situation passengers hesitated to use the AC buses service and hence the demand for these buses drastically, hence we decided to convert these buses into Rajadhani buses to use it to shuttle between Hyderabad and Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal

He added that after the end of the first lockdown, these buses were brought back on to the roads, but the passengers ratio was low. Such buses can be functional only when there is at least 50 to 60 per cent occupancy.

He further added that AC buses used to have huge demand from those passengers who worked in TI or IT and now, these employees are working mostly from home. So, AC buses have lost its demand.