APSRTC-TSRTC talks on resuming bus services remain inconclusive

VIJAYAWADA: Talks between officials of the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and Telangana State RTC (TSRTC) on Wednesday ended without any agreement on resumption of bus services between the two states.

The APSRTC sought to strike a deal to operate services at least during the festive season of Dasara, but there was no agreement on this as well. 

The corporation usually generates revenue in crores of rupees during the Dasara season, as thousands of people from AP who live in Telangana visit their native places. 

The fourth round of talks, held at Bus Bhavan in Hyderabad, left APSRTC officials red faced. “TSRTC officials seem to be least bothered about the problems faced by commuters, who are being fleeced by private operators,” a senior APSRTC official said.

Speaking to The New Indian Express after the talks, APSRTC executive director (operations) KS Brahmananda Reddy said, “The lackadaisical approach of TSRTC officials is only benefitting private bus operators and causing huge losses to the public transport system.”

“We wanted to at least enter into a temporary arrangement for operation of buses between the States during the festival season but that too did not materialise,” he said.

The APSRTC used to run services covering 2.65 lakh km per day in Telangana. With the TSRTC insisting on reducing the distance, AP officials agreed to reduce its operations by more than one lakh km. “However, the TSRTC wants both sides to operate only one lakh km. This is not viable for the APSRTC,” the ED said.

“We have written twice to TSRTC officials asking them to increase their operations by 50,000 km in AP. So far, we haven’t got a response. This apart, TSRTC officials said they will increase the number of routes between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, ignoring other routes,” Brahmananda Reddy said, adding that they will meet their counterparts in two days to sort out the matter.