APSRTC can’t have depots on the outskirts

APSRTC can’t have depots on the outskirts
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Highlights

APSRTC can’t have depots on the outskirts, APSRTC, HMA-2031 master plan, APIIC, GHMC. According to the rules laid down by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and HMDA, it is mandatory to earmark 10 per cent of the plinth area for providing basic amenities.

  • 30 depots were sanctioned but getting land at affordable rate is the main problem
  • Recent meeting held by Chief Secretary failed to find a solution

Bus services to the outskirts of the city will be badly hit as the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation fails to find land to house its 30 proposed depots. While the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) asked the APSRTC authorities to buy the land at Rs 10 crore an acre, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) hasn’t even included the provision for bus depots in its HMA-2031 master plan

According to the rules laid down by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and HMDA, it is mandatory to earmark 10 per cent of the plinth area for providing basic amenities. HMDA’s pet project, HMA-2031 master plan has included everything, from railway terminals to logistic hubs but not RTC depots. As a result, the APSRTC officials are having a tough time to find land to construct 30 depots on the outskirts of the Greater Hyderabad area.

The scope of APSRTC increasing its bus services on the outskirts is now under jeopardy, as it has failed to acquire land. The land outside the Greater Hyderabad region is owned by HMDA, APIIC or private parties. Government bodies are giving a tough time to RTC by not extending their helping hand to find land.

Money matters for APIIC

Reports from the RTC grapevine suggest that when the RTC officials approached APIIC for the land, they were asked to buy the required land at Rs 10 crore an acre. The APIIC officials said that they could not provide the land but help the RTC in procuring.

HMDA’s no to selected areas

The RTC had a new problem all together with the HMDA. Though the HMDA officials have refused to provide the land selected by the APSRTC, they said that they could provide land elsewhere but, not the land selected by the APSRTC.

RTC officials lament

“We are following up with APIIC and HMDA, for seeking clearance for land to accommodate the depots and to expand our services in the vicinity of the ORR (Outer Ring Road). Many meetings were held but there is no decision regarding allotting the land,” said a senior APSRTC official.

The APSRTC is left in the lurch and cannot proceed till govt takes a positive stand to allot the required land for the new depots. The chief secretary’s bid to resolve the matter through a meeting also failed to provide a solution. Despite being attended by MD J Purnachandra Rao and representatives of HMDA and APIIC, no concrete decision has been taken and opening of the new bus depots is still an ambiguity.

As the APSRTC is caught between the Government, APIIC and HMDA, it’s the passengers who have to pay the ultimate price.

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