RTC for route rationalisation to cut losses

Hyderabad: The TSRTC management was rationalising the trips in the city and reducing bus services where the Corporation was facing losses.

Already 500 buses in the Greater Hyderabad Zone were kept in depots in order to decrease operational losses.

The officials seem to have analysed the operations during the 52-day strike period when the buses were limited, and the occupancy ratio was more.

Sources said that the corporation would be running limited buses in majority of the city routes so as to decrease the operational losses.

There are 29 depots and 3,500 buses in Greater Hyderabad Zone. About 33 lakh passengers utilise the TSRTC bus services in the city.

However, the corporation is facing a loss of Rs 97 lakh every day because of the difference in the income and expenditure.

Most of the depots in the city have been making losses. The loss-making depots include Kushaiguda, Midhani, Falaknuma, Uppal, Ranigunj-1 and 2 Cantonment, Mehdipatnam, Kukatpally, Hakimpet and others.

According to sources, the maximum number of the services decreased was in Kushaiguda depot. Over 200 buses were decreased in Kushaiguda, in Uppal 150 services were decreased, in Kacheguda over 25 services, in Cantonment over 130 services, in Kukatpally 18 services were decreased.

"The idea is to run the buses where the passengers need the most. The buses would be operated during mornings before 10 am and after 4.30 pm so that the office goers and school children can utilise the services instead of operating them with lesser passengers," said a senior official.

The official further added that the Corporation would review the operations once again after rationalisation of routes.

If there is demand for bus service from any other part of the city, the management would take up surveys and decide on the untouched colonies especially after the starting of Metro Rail, the official added.