HYDERABAD: The success of RTC routes ‘195W’ and ‘216’ from Bachupally to Waverock and Allwyn X road to Waverock respectively is being seen by the RTC as a strong example of the west zone’s acceptance of public transport. The frequency on the route 195W was increased from June this year and this resulted in a spike in Earnings per Kilometer (EPK) from Rs 29.50 to Rs 35.3.
Similarly, route 216’s EPK is now at Rs 26.60 which increased from Rs 23.10 before June. The rise in EPK is seen despite the fact that the diesel rates have been increasing and putting additional burden on the RTC. According to officials, the route which connects the populated areas of Kukatpally to Financial district via Hitec City main road has an average occupancy ratio of 93, which increased from 74, highlighting the increasing patronage for the bus service.
The same bus previously ran with a frequency of 10 minutes managed by 15 buses, but now runs at an increased frequency of 5 minutes with 26 buses. With the success of the same, the Miyapur depot 2 has also begun surveying the areas in and around Hitec City. The surveys have been held at Mindspace, Cybergate and Deloitte at peak hours.
“We have sent eight teams to survey the hotspots in the area to see how many cars, autos, mini-buses ply, and how many could be potential customers,” said Devadanam, depot manager, Miyapur depot 2. The RTC plans to collaborate this data with the Cyberabad traffic police, and introduce more buses. The data collected on point of origin and destination from over 2 lakh employees in the IT area will be useful for identifying the route’s map. “We have planned a meeting with the IT companies, RTC and other stakeholders to see how public transport can be maximized in this place,” informed DCP Vijay Kumar, Cyberabad traffic police.