VIJAYAWADA: APSRTC has turned the worst sufferer of the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown as the corporation has incurred a loss of Rs 2,603 crore in revenue due to the shutting down of bus services. Further, as many as 5,586 employees were affected by Covid-19 and 91 employees succumbed to the virus.
Addressing a press meet here on Wednesday, APSRTC managing director and vice-chairman M.T. Krishna Babu said that during the lockdown period, they had transported 3,07,058 migrant labourers by arranging 11,802 buses. He said that buses were also provided for transporting primary contacts for testing in quarantine centres and Covid positive persons to CCCs and Covid hospitals as per the requisition given by the district administration.
Krishna Babu said that during the Covid period, the services of conductors and drivers were utilised by police, revenue, medical and health departments in their efforts to contain the spread of the virus. He said that they had suffered a revenue loss of Rs 2,603 crore from March 22 to December 28, as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
He said that as many as 5,586 employees were affected by Covid-19. Of them, 5,383 recovered and 5,235 reported for duty. He further mentioned that 112 employees are undergoing treatment while 91 had died.
He stated that Rs 5 lakh compensation was paid to dependents of the employees who had died. They had collected a one-day basic salary from all employees. He said that the corporation has supplied 52 Sanjeevini AC buses to assist the government in collecting swab samples from the people.
Explaining that APSRTC concentrated on alternative sources to earn revenue due to the suspension of bus services, Krishna Babu said that they had continued cargo operations but faced loss compared to last year. They earned only `42 crore as compared to `52 crore from March to December last year.
The managing director said that tenders will be called shortly for integrated development of bus stations at Maddilapalem (VSP), Autonagar (VJA), Tirupati (CTR) and Raj Vihaar Bus stand (Kurnool).
He said that 10 retail oil outlets were allotted in August and tenders will be called shortly for nine commercial projects under BOT scheme.
Licence fee had been waived for all commercial stalls in bus stations from March 22 to June 7. He said that complimentary bus pass facility is provided to all outsourced employees for free travel from their residence to the place of work for a distance of up to 25 km from January 1.
Krishna Babu said that by December, they had restored 72 per cent of normal operations and 3,607 special buses are planned to operate during the pre-Sankranti festival period from January 8 to 13.
