The Hindu : Goud asks RTC to become efficient, competitive

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Goud asks RTC to become efficient, competitive

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD April 27. The Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, on Sunday urged the staff of the State-owned Road Transport Corporation to improve efficiency and service, face competition and turn around the corporation.

He inaugurated the APSRTC Kala Bhavan, an impressive hall with a capacity to seat 1,000 people, built as part of the Rs. 5.53 crores Kala Bhavan Project in Musheerabad. Expressing his appreciation for the staff's effort at improving efficiency, he, however, said that they should not expect continued support from the Government. It was in their hands to come out of the red, he said, adding that in the context of increasing competition, they needed to garner people's patronage.

It was important for them to think commercial, he said, adding that before they spent a rupee, they needed to have an idea of what they would get in return. Public transport had a vital role to play because of the increasing pollution due to the rise in the number of vehicles, he said.

The RTC Chairperson, Shoba Nagi Reddy, said the corporation was undergoing a transformation. "In this process, we are open to ideas,'' she said. Concerned over the loss of revenue to the corporation due to illicit operations, she said they needed personnel exclusively for tackling unscrupulous private operators. In several cases, the RTC needed police protection, she said, urging the Home Minister to do the needful.

The Musheerabad MLA, K. Laxman, said despite the best efforts of the authorities and their `assurances', doubts still existed in the minds of the employees about privatisation. There was a distinct feeling of insecurity in their minds. This needed to be erased, he said, referring to the unfulfilled demands like reimbursement of concessions given to different sections of people and a special, reduced rate of taxation for RTC vehicles. He said the RTC needed to improve passenger amenities and also look for ways and means to improve revenue.

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the corporation, R.P. Singh, said the completion of the impressive hall marked the fulfilment of a long-felt need of the people in the area and that of the employees. The Executive Director (Management Information Systems), S.K. Mathur, proposed a vote of thanks.

Ms. Shoba Nagi Reddy on Sunday flagged off the new brand of `Garuda' Volvo B7R, airconditioned buses. Ten brand new buses have been added to the RTC fleet.

The super luxury buses will ply on the Hyderabad-Bangalore-Hyderabad ,Tirupati-Bangalore-Tirupati, Nellore-Bangalore-Nellore, Hyderabad-Mumbai-Hyderabad and Vijayawada-Mumbai- Vijayawada sectors. While one of the coaches was flagged off by Ms. Nagi Reddy, the other was flagged off by the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, R.P. Singh.

Built to international specifications, the coaches are of a superior design, with excellent seating, ample leg and storage space with highly powerful and effective air-conditioning. The air suspension is smooth so that passengers do not feel any jerks, resulting in little or no travel fatigue, she said.

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