Tirupati: CM Jagan to inaugurate Punganur RTC depot soon

Tirupati: At last the Punganur RTC Depot become a reality with depot readying for inauguration soon.

RTC source said the construction works including the depot, internal roads and compound wall constructions are almost over. To begin with the depot will start functioning with 75 buses and is likely to increase later with more bus services with introduction of new services including inter-state.

It is interesting to note that the proposal of APSRTC Punganur Depot is delayed for more than 30 years not due to dearth of resources like government finance or required suitable land for construction of depot but for political reasons.

During former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy period significant progress was made in the depot construction but hit the roadblock after his sudden demise.

Despite all erstwhile taluks have a RTC depot, Punganur was left out because of political reasons.

The works resumed after YSRCP came to power following its landslide victory in the 2019 election and Punganur MLA Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy becoming minister and occupying crucial position in the new government.

Reddy took the completion of pending works of depot on top priority and saw the works move on fast.

Sources said minister Peddireddy who took the achieving of RTC depot in Punganur as prestige issue, is keen to inaugurate it with Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The depot is coming up in a six-acre sprawling area with a total cost of Rs 10 crore with modern facilities for maintenance of RTC buses.

Srinivasulu, a senior citizen, said at last Punganur people going to realise the dream of a RTC depot soon and the credit mainly goes to minister Ramachandra Reddy working for it tirelessly.

RTC staff also happy as it helps betterment of operation of bus services in the backward area of western part of arid Chittoor district and also fulfil the long pending demand.