Date:26/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/26/stories/2005022601240600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Accord signed on more inter-State bus services

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, FEB. 25. Movement of buses and other passenger vehicles between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is set for over 50 per cent increase with the signing of the Third Supplemental Inter-State Transport Agreement here today.

Consequently, the number of services of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operating in Tamil Nadu will increase from 295 to 476 and the Tamil Nadu State Road Transport Corporation (TNSRTC) services in the State will go up from 267 to 392.

The agreement was signed by the Transport Minister, S. Santosh Reddy, and his Tamil Nadu counterpart, R. Viswanathan, in the presence of the Special Chief Secretary, A.K. Sharma, and the Secretary, Transport of TN, Karpoorasundara Pandyan.

At a joint press conference later, the Ministers said the number of kilometres to be operated would now come to 52,966 for APSRTC buses in Tamil Nadu and 52,965 for Tamil Nadu buses in Andhra Pradesh.

Issues pertaining to bus services of the APSRTC and the TNSRTC, as also operation of stage and goods carriages, motor cabs and buses belonging to educational institutions, all under the single point taxation, were discussed threadbare.

Goods carriage permits

Under the new agreement, the quota of goods carriage permits has been increased from 5,400 to 10,000.

Merging ordinary and tourist cabs into a single category, the quota for Motor Cab Permits has been hiked from 400 to 1,000 on single point tax.

Replying to a question, Mr. Viswanathan said for the first time in 18 years the TNSRTC had registered a profit of Rs. 2.38 crores in 2003-04 and that they were expecting a profit between Rs. 10 and Rs. 12 crores in the current financial year.