Privatisation of RTC lands under BOT scheme opposed

Vijayawada: The employees union of APSRTC has opposed the State government’s attempt to hand over valuable RTC lands in several districts to private companies on the basis of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme.

In a press release here on Friday, union regional secretary Y Srinivasa Rao said that the government decided to entrust lands of RTC at Eluru bus station and at other places in the city to private companies on 33 years lease basis through BOT system.

He said the government was also contemplating to hand over RTC training college in Gannavaram, established in 23 acres, to a private company.

He also opposed the offer of 14 cents of valuable land in Vijayawada bus station for the construction of Krishnalanka police station.

Srinivasa Rao informed that several valuable lands of RTC in various districts were facing the same fate. He said RTC will face problems in future if it loses its lands to private companies.

He asserted that the union would conduct protests in all bus depots in Krishna district on January 17 and 18 opposing the government decision of privatisation of RTC lands.

He demanded that the management take steps for the protection of RTC lands in view of future needs and interests of corporation.