VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy virtually inaugurated an APSRTC bus depot at Punganur and RTC Area Hospital at Kadapa from his camp office here on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that he was happy to inaugurate both the RTC facilities, which would benefit the public and also RTC employees. He commended the efforts of RTC officials for building a hospital in these tough times and augmenting the efforts of the health department. He said the hospital would provide better medical services to the RTC employees and reiterated that he had kept his word by establishing a bus depot and a hospital.
Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah said that the previous government had tried to privatise the RTC by closing down depots; however, the corporation was given a new lease of life by merging it with the government. He said that despite about Rs 3,600 crore burden on the government every year following the merging of 50,000 workers in the government service, the government had not backed down. He said it was fortunate to have such a Chief Minister who kept in mind the welfare of every employee.
The Minister for Panchayat Raj, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, said that the Punganur town had been a municipality for 40 years without a bus depot. But the Chief Minister made it a reality. The depot was constructed in an area of seven acres at a total cost of Rs 7.5 crore. It would serve as a model depot with a fleet of 65 buses, and it was also equipped with a model workshop. The depot was renamed after late Chief minister Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
The area hospital in Kadapa is constructed in an area of 1.6 acres at a cost of Rs 3.8 crore and is equipped with state-of-the-art medical infrastructure worth Rs 2 crore. It employs seven doctors, 25 paramedical staff and housekeeping staff. It will provide medical services to RTC employees and their families as well as retired employees from Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur, Chittoor and Nellore districts.
Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Nani, Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandrareddy, Transport Minister Perni Nani, APSRTC Managing Director RP Thakur, RTC EDs Krishnamohan and Koteshwara Rao and several other officials were present on the occasion. MPs Mithun Reddy and Reddappa from Punganur, Deputy CM Amjad Basha from Kadapa, MP YS Avinash Reddy, Kadapa Mayor Suresh Babu and other leaders also attended the event.
