With the Central Bus Station (CBS) ceasing to function due to collapse of bus hangar, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is bracing for losses as ‘non-revenue generating kilometres’ are likely to pile up.
Buses from the CBS, spread over an acre and 77 guntas, used to make as many as 2,385 trips. But with the non-functioning of the bus station, their services are likely to be extended to Kachiguda Bus Depot, Farooq Nagar Bus Depot and the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station.
According to TSRTC Greater Hyderabad Zone and IT Corridor Executive Director A. Purushotam Naik, the losses incurred are likely to be ₹ 2 per kilometre.
“From the CBS, we used to get full revenue. But with bus services being extended to Kachiguda, Farooq Nagar, MGBS and Koti will mean that buses will travel longer distances which will result in non-revenue kilometres. With this, it is not possible to extract the maximum revenue from those trips,” Mr. Naik said.
To minimise losses, the TSRTC has put in place measures such as re-routing of buses, among others.
Once catering to over 85,000 passengers per day, the CBS provided shelter and amenities such as purified drinking water, seating and toilets.
“The passengers who availed facilities will be hit hard. Apart from the CBS, there is no other place of similar size with that kind of infrastructure and amenities,” an official requesting anonymity said.