APSRTC to launch bulk cargo service

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is contemplating joining hands with the Civil Supplies Department as part of its efforts to expand its logistic services to bulk cargo services on the lines of its Telangana counterpart. The corporation is likely to introduce the bulk cargo services from Krishna district on a pilot basis and replicate the same across the state after examining the results.

According to information, higher-ups in the APRTC recently convened a meeting with the Civil Supplies officials over the proposal of transporting essential commodities from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns through the depot goods transport (DGT) buses of the APRTC.

At present, the corporation is offering logistic services, especially for delivery of couriers and parcels through the DGT buses, and the demand for it has been steadily increasing over the months due to wide connectivity and operations the corporation has.

Taking this into account, the higher authorities rectified the loopholes and streamlined the administration for better management. Meanwhile, APRTC vice- chairman and managing director M Pratap has reportedly directed the officials to expand the logistic services into bulk cargo service and approach government departments for orders. During the TDP regime, the RTC transported parcels of medicines and tuberculosis kits and publicity materials of the State Information Commission (SIC) on-time.

As a tie-up with the Civil Supplies are in talks, the APRTC is contemplating shifting the essential commodities from the FCI godowns to satellite godowns (stage-I) and individual depots (stage-II).
“We are contemplating expanding the logistic services to bulk cargo services and the same was discussed with the Civil Supplies Department,” a senior APRTC official told TNIE on the condition of anonymity.  At present, the Krishna region has 16 DGT buses under its fleet and a few more that give good mileage will be modified for the purpose.

The Civil Supplies officials have expressed their willingness for the APRTC plans and a decision in this regard will be taken after discussions with Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao are held, he said.