VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) recorded its highest single-day earning of Rs 18.33 crore during the summer on June 13, said RTC managing director Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao. This was achieved due the large number of people visiting their home towns and religious centres during the summer.
In a press release issued here on Tuesday, Tirumala Rao said that the Corporation has lost hundreds of crores of revenue in the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since January, the RTC revenue has picked up momentum and it collected Rs 15.40 crore on January 17, thanks to the Sankranti festival season. It was the highest single -day revenue in the past 2 years.
During February and March, the RTC continued to earn around Rs 15.30 crore per day. Following the three consecutive holidays in April, the RTC earned Rs 18.62 crore on April 18, Rs 17.91 crore on May 23 and Rs 18.33 crore on June 13.
On June 12, due to the arrival of over one lakh devotees to Tirumala, 2,852 bus services were operated between Tirupati and Tirumala in place of 2,300-2,400 on normal days.
As a result, the RTC earned Rs 1.75 crore in Tirupati district, registering 84 percent occupancy ratio. RTC Executive Director (Operations) KS Brahmananda Reddy said the corporation also earns crores of rupees through non-ticket revenue streams such as cargo, petrol bunks, stalls and other commercial activities. Also, the hike in diesel cess in April will also help RTC to reduce its losses.