RTC incurs heavy losses in Srikakulam division

Srikakulam: The APSRTC Srikakulam division incurred heavy losses in all five depots across the district in the last financial year. To overcome the revenue deficit, the RTC officials are seeking alternative ways with an aim to attract more passengers and increase more occupancy rate and acquire revenue by other sources.

In Srikakulam district, RTC is plying buses from five depots Srikakulam-1, Srikakulam- 2, Palasa, Tekkali and Palakonda. In all the five depots, total revenue loss was Rs 41 crore till March this year. Srikakulam-2 depot incurred a loss of Rs 14 crore and Palakonda depot recorded a loss of Rs 6 crore.

To overcome the loss, the RTC officials launched parcel service separately by arranging booking points at all depots and bus stations like courier services. In the wake of these services, all the drivers and conductors of buses have been instructed not to receive any parcels, covers on their own by collecting amount from private persons and passengers and they were instructed to guide public to utilise parcel services at depots.

To attract passengers and improve occupancy rate, Automatic Bus Arrival Information System (ABAIS) has been introduced to prevent a threat from private transport vehicles. Under the ABAIS, bus arrival information will be sent to passengers who are waiting for buses at all important stops across the district.

The ABAIS was being implemented in all important routes towards Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Itchapuram, Rajam, Tekkali, Palasa, Palakonda and other routes.“In addition to existing measures, we are planning to increase frequency of services on potential routes connecting national and state highways to improve occupancy rate gradually”, RTC deputy chief traffic manger (DCTM) Kuppili Srinivasa Rao said. Corporation also planning to construct commercial complexes at bus stations to get rentals by way of leases, he added.