VISAKHAPATNAM: The free travel facility for women under the Stree Shakti scheme will not be applicable to the electric buses introduced for Bhogapuram International Airport connectivity, State Transport, Youth and Sports Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy said on Friday. The Minister made the announcement during the launch of e-buses at the Visakha Steel City Depot. He said the airport connectivity e-bus service was launched first in Visakhapatnam.
The Minister, along with Gajuwaka MLA and TDP State President Palla Srinivasa Rao, inspected the newly introduced e-buses at the Visakha Steel City Depot and reviewed the facilities provided for passengers.
The 20 e-buses introduced for Bhogapuram airport connectivity are part of the 100 electric buses allotted to Visakhapatnam district under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, out of the 750 electric buses sanctioned across Andhra Pradesh. According to APSRTC, the airport service will be the country’s first airport-connectivity e-bus operation under the scheme.
Of the 20 buses allocated for the airport route, 11 have already arrived in Visakhapatnam and are stationed at the Visakha Steel City Depot. The remaining buses are expected to arrive by July 28.
The e-buses will operate on two routes, with 10 buses assigned to each route. One route will connect Gajuwaka, NAD, Gurudwara, Maddilapalem, Anandapuram, Marikivalasa and Tagarapuvalasa with Bhogapuram International Airport. The second route will run from Gajuwaka through Scindia, Railway Station, RTC Complex, Siripuram, VUDA Park, IT Hills, Marikivalasa and Tagarapuvalasa to the airport.
The Minister said the electric buses have been designed to provide easier access for passengers, including persons with disabilities. The 12-metre buses have air suspension, automatic doors, seating capacity for 35 passengers, a wheelchair lift and a dedicated entrance for persons with disabilities.
APSRTC said three electric charging stations required for airport service are ready. Proposals have been made to set up passenger lounges at Auto Nagar, Gurudwara, Venkojipalem, Hanumanthavaka, Endada, RTC Complex and VUDA Park. The Minister said the NDA government is modernising the State’s transport sector by strengthening eco-friendly public transport. He said electric buses would provide pollution-free transport services and boost connectivity to Bhogapuram Airport.
He said passengers and employees are like the two eyes of APSRTC and that both are important for the organisation. Referring to the previous government, he alleged that it had not purchased a single new bus and said the alliance government had brought the RTC back on track. He urged RTC drivers to maintain accident-free operations by performing their duties responsibly and giving priority to passenger safety.