VIJAYAWADA: At least 16 per cent of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses, which have logged more than 15 lakh kilometres, are being operated on roads in violation of rules, compromising the safety of passengers and, at the same time, posing a serious threat to environment.
According to sources, the Union ministry for transport is contemplating bringing in a law to phase out unfit/old buses (above 15 years) to bring down the pollution level. A direction in this regard has been given to the State Road Transport Authority (RTA) to identify unfit vehicles at the earliest.
A month ago, the transport department prepared a report on the status of worn-out vehicles in the State. In all, 14.07 lakh of a total 84.35 lakh vehicles in the State are identified as worn-out, but still they are plying on roads. Among them, 2,016 RTC buses that have crossed the permissible age limit, are still ferrying passengers. However, RTC officials claim that only 623 buses, which have covered 13 lakh kilometres, are being operated. They maintained that these buses were still fit to operate.
However, the transport department rules mandate maintenance of buses once a week and wheel service once in three months. Buses are required to get a road maintenance certificate every six months and fitness certificate once a year. Despite these comprehensive rules, many ‘unfit’ RTC buses continue to ferry passengers, with weekly and quarterly maintenance hardly making a difference. As per the existing rules, a bus over 10 years old and ran 12 lakh km, should be discarded.
In October 2017, Transport Minister K Atchannaidu conducted a review meeting with APSRTC officials to bring down the accident rate involving State-owned transport corporation buses. The RTC officials informed the minister that five percent of the buses (above 10 years) and 10 per cent of the buses, which travelled more than 12 lakh kilometres, were in the corporation fleet.
In response to their reply, Atchannaidu asked the officials to purchase new buses and check regularly the condition of the fleet.
“Earlier, the APSRTC used to put out of operation buses that covered 12 lakh kilometres and send them to scrap yard. But, in the last four years due to financial crisis, the corporation has converted aged vehicles into ‘Palle Velugu’ buses to operate them to rural areas,” said a member of APSRTC Employees’ Union. Currently, 50 per cent of the corporation buses have logged over 10 lakh km and 20 per cent of the fleet crossed 12 lakh km. Measures should be taken by the State Government in allocating enough funds in the budget for the purchase of new buses and bail out the corporation from the red.
APSRTC Executive Director (Engineering) A Koteswara Rao said that the State government gave its nod to purchase 1,000 new buses at an estimated cost of `250 crore in the earlier year.
In the first phase, already 439 new buses were dispatched to various bus depots in the State. The remaining 561 buses are at manufacturing level and will be added to the fleet by the end of April, he said.