Boom time for trains & RTC buses

Significant increase in the number of coaches

In 2012-13 SCR has employed 63 extra coaches in 16 trains. This number was increased to 90 coaches in 35 trains in 2013-14. The number of berths rose from 4200 in 2012-13 to 6900 in 2013-14.

Frequent travellers have a reason to cheer, as the SCR authorities are planning to increase the number of bogies for long distance trains. Responding to the increase in demand, in the past three months the authorities have added 32 coaches in 20 trains. Now, the transport authorities will act according to the demand.

All sleeper class coaches have 72 berths and every main express train will have 7 to 13 sleeper class coaches. All main express run with 16 to 18 coaches and the authorities are ready to increase the number of coaches as per the demand.

It is reported that a few trains are running with 2 to 4 extra coaches every day. “Extra coaches are not something new. We will add extra coaches when there is surge in demand, particularly during festive season. Post the Palem incident, there is increase in the number of passengers for trains. This was particularly seen during weekends,” said an official with the SCR.

Occupancy ratio increases in APSRTC

Thanks to the private bus seizure drive by the RTA, the occupancy rates in the RTC buses have increased. This trend was particularly seen in the buses travelling to places like Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Chitoor. This was also helped by the private bus operators’ association decision to decrease the number of service in protest against the RTA’s drive. “Earlier the Occupancy Ratio (OR) used to be 75 per cent in the past few weeks it has increased to 80 per cent. This will help generate much needed liquidity,” said an APSRTC senior official. Also, there were times when the OR reached 95 per cent.

The demand for these services is more in the weekends. In the week days the RTC runs 30 bus services to Bengaluru and on weekends 40 buses are running. RTC used to run 850 buses to all the main sectors and these have increased to 1100 in the past two months.

“Post the Palem incident people have embraced trains and RTC buses as the preferred means of transport,” said the official. Earlier the RTC used to run only 15 buses to Bengaluru and the bulk of the means to travel were in the hands of private operators.

It is estimated that RTC is getting revenue of Rs 15,000 per bus on long distance trips and per day the total revenue is Rs 1.57 crore and on weekends it hits Rs 2 crore.