Rajahmundry: APSRTC Rajahmundry region is incurring revenue loss to the tune of Rs 8 crores for want of patronage from the passengers in the current fiscal. One of the main reasons attributed for revenue loss is said to be lack of more number of auspicious days to conduct marriages, family functions and other auspicious programmes. RTC earned profit to the tune of Rs 3.4 crore in the last fiscal and the authorities say that the number of auspicious days were 120 last time when compared with 40 for the same period in current fiscal.
As Godavari districts hosted Godavari Maha Pushkaralu in last July, the rush of pilgrims from several parts in the state helped RTC earn profit. However, RTC is expecting a brief relief from the ongoing Krishna Pushkaralu as it can earn some revenue to minimise the quantum of revenue loss by plying its services mainly from East Godavari to Vijayawada, Guntur and Kurnool districts.
In a bid to overcome the revenue loss, the RTC authorities are keeping close watch on areas where passenger traffic is more and want to tap such market. Though the authorities may not impose curbs on private bus services either for long or short distance, they intend to reach out to the passengers to prefer RTC services ensuring safety. The authorities also intend to keep all the buses on road transporting the people from place to place.
Normally, 30 to 35 buses in a day go off the road as they will be placed in the garage for necessary repairs, maintenance and overhaul. However, the authorities intend to limit the timing of such exercise from 6.00 am to 12.00 noon so that the buses can hit the road from afternoon unlike earlier practice of allotting whole day from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm for such exercise. RTC intends to reduce its expenses on fuel and also wants to minimise the quantum of environment pollution from its emission.
It is mixing 10 per cent of biofuel in the total quantum of diesel it using to run its buses as it helps reduce quantum of emission of carbon monoxide and other noxious gases. The newly introduced software application is getting good response from the passengers as they are using the application to know the location of the bus to help them avoid waiting for long time at the bus stations.
The authorities say that they are ensuring plying of buses as per schedule except for deviation by a few minutes due to some vehicular traffic congestion all along the way and say that they are following 'zero waiting time' by allotting available bus in that specific route for short distances if the number of passengers taking that specific route is more. RTC regional manager Ch. Ravi Kumar said, "We are initiating all requisite measures to overcome revenue loss and appeal to passengers to prefer RTC services for safe travel."
