VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has reduced revenue losses by Rs 333.09 crore this year and measures are being evolved to make the corporation profitable in the coming years, said Transport Minister K Atchannaidu, as he dedicated new bus services to the people of the State on Monday.The transport minister, along with DGP and APSRTC vice-chairman and managing director M Malakondaiah, flagged off nine new ‘Amaravati’ air-conditioned buses at the Pandit Nehru Bus Station premises here. APSRTC has purchased the Volvo buses at a cost of Rs13.50 crore, sources in the transport department said.
Speaking on the occasion, Atchannaidu said that the State government has allocated Rs 200 crore for purchasing ‘Palle Velugu’ buses to provide hassle-free journey to the passengers travelling in the rural areas. In addition to this, the government has sanctioned another `290 crore, which will be utilised for meeting small dues of the employees and other reimbursement purposes, he said. The occupancy rate (OR) of the corporation buses, which was 66.88 percent last year, has increased to 73.29 percent this year, following efforts of employees and adoption of technology, a transport department source said.
‘’Of the nine (Amaravati) buses, six are allotted to the Vijayawada region and the remaining three to the Visakhapatnam region. Plans are afoot to add 19 more Amravati buses and 16 more Garuda services to the existing fleet this year. In the first phase, nine buses are launched and the remaining will be added to the fleet in a phased manner,’’ Malakondaiah said. Water Resource Management Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, city Mayor Koneru Sreedhar, APSRTC executive directors A Venkateswara Rao, G Jaya Rao and others were present on the occasion.