APSRTC plans cargo service to plug mounting losses

APSRTC plans cargo service to plug mounting losses
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The Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC),which has been focusing exclusively on commuters travel, will now venture into cargo services.

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC),which has been focusing exclusively on commuters travel, will now venture into cargo services.

The largest public passenger transport corporation has decided to go for cargo services to plug the increasing losses for the corporation over the years. The cargo services is expected to begin within a couple of months’ time.

The RTC has sufficient fleet, depots and experienced drivers to maintain the cargo service. With the increasing losses, the management had brought forward the long-pending proposal, particularly after bifurcation.

Though the proposal was placed before the government earlier in the combined State, the government did not consider it for reasons best known to those in power.

Recently, the State Government has approved the proposal made by RTC to launch cargo services by utilising the infrastructure and expertise of the corporation. In this regard, the corporation is exploring all possibilities to appoint a Deputy Chief Traffic Manager (DCTM), Regional Manager, and an Executive Director for 12 regions across the State for the better operation of cargo services.

Speaking to The Hans India on Tuesday, National Mazadoor Union (NMU) State leader R Subba Rao said that introduction of cargo services was the need of the hour to get the corporation back on profit-making path and cover up losses up to some extent.

From many years we have been demanding the corporation to make use of the old buses and capture the large business opportunity through cargo services. “Presently, a private company utilises the RTC fleet for cargo and pays Rs 9 crore per annum to the corporation as part of the agreement,” Subba Rao said.

As the government approved for the cargo services, corporation should focus on providing special training for the drivers to handle heavy cargo vehicles and face the heat from the private operators.

Transportation of coal from the fields to cleaning depots, thermal power stations and cement companies and carrying other commodities such as fertilizer from ports to different destinations will yield better results.

“With these operations, the corporation can generate revenue of Rs 200 crore per annum and helps the corporation to come out of the red,” he said.

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