APSRTC may operate stage carriers to Telangana: Official 

VIJAYAWADA: With talks between officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and their Telangana counterparts over an interstate agreement for resumption of bus services not bearing any results, the APSRTC is contemplating to run its services as stage carriers for the convenience of passengers heading home during the Dasara festival.

“As our efforts to arrive on an interstate agreement over operation of services could not materialise, we are exploring the possibilities of resuming bus services as stage carriers even if we have to pay double the taxes before the beginning of Dasara to avoid inconvenience to the passengers,” APSRTC vice-chairman and managing director MT Krishna Babu told TNIE on Sunday.

The proposal to run services as stage carriers was put before Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah and once the Corporation gets a nod, it will take up the proposal with its Telangana counterpart.Krishna Babu said another round of talks are likely to take place on Monday or Tuesday where, if an agreement is not reached, the APSRTC will bring up the proposal of running services as stage carriers. 

Sources in the Corporation said in the possible case of failure of talks again, the RTC will seek intervention of the transport minister to hold talks with his Telangana counterpart to resolve the issue before the festival season commences. “In the series of talks, the TSRTC requested us to reduce our daily operations by 1.10 lakh km from 2.65 km. We gave our consent and sought them to increase their operations, but they are reluctant,” Krishna Babu added.