Madurai: Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) officials are worried over fall in revenue following transfer of long-distance bus services to the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC).
In order to improve long distance bus services, the state government had asked TNSTC to hand over bus routes plying more than 300 km distance, to SETC for which new depots were opened. To connect all district head quarters with deluxe bus service, it was proposed to open eight new SETC depots including Dindigul, Karaikudi, Ramanathapuram, Hosur and Karur. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had inaugurated the SETC depots in Karaikudi and Dindigul in July 2015.
After inauguration of the new depot at Dindigul, five SETC bus routes, Vedasanthur- Chennai; Kodaikanal-Chennai; Cumbam-Chennai; Kumuli-Chennai and Dindigul-Bangalore have been transferred from Madurai.
As the Karaikudi Depot has no major bus route to operate, SETC officials had asked the Karaikudi TNSTC to transfer the buses plying beyond 300 KM. And, officials have begun the process fo identifying the bus routes to be transferred.
But, TNSTC officials are worried over the adverse fall out in revenue collection if buses bound to Chennai are transferred. "We will definitely incur a financial loss. There will be a 30 percent drop in collection" said an official with TNSTC Karaikudi.
With an SETC depot at Ramanathapuram, TNSTC Madurai Division officials also echoed the similar views.
"After we transferred Madurai to Chennai buses to SETC Madurai, four years ago, the over all collection of the division had come down. Transferring Chennai-bound buses to SETC will further affect our collection" said an Officer with TNSTC, Madurai.