VIJAYAWADA: Aimed at making up for the lost revenue, a cash-strapped Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is focused on expanding its existing cargo service.
As such, the corporation has designed a prototype of a regular bus modified for transportation of essential commodities, medicines and agricultural products.
It is awaiting the state government’s nod to go ahead with the project.
RTC vice chairman and managing director M Pratap has directed regional managers to reserve three buses from each depot for the modification. As part of the initiative, the corporation is planning to hire drivers with heavy vehicle licence. A driving training institute may also come up in each parliamentary constituency.
APSRTC executive director (Operations) KS Brahmananda Reddy told TNIE: “At present, the corporation is offering logistic support for delivery of couriers and parcels, and demand for the service has been on a steady rise during lockdowns. We have already modified some buses.
"We also plan to hire lorries for expansion of the cargo service. Against last year’s revenue of Rs 72 crore from cargo services, this year, we have set a target of Rs 2,000 crore.”
The RTC has earned Rs 25 crore by transporting cargo of AP Seeds, and tenders worth Rs 250 crore were quoted by the Civil Supplies Department for transportation of essentials.