Date:25/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/25/stories/2006082506770300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Check over-the-top travel: Collector

Staff Reporter

Asks Transport Department, RTC officials to curb the practice

ANANTAPUR: District Collector Dasari Kadmial has said travelling on top of buses, jeeps and diesel autorickshaws has become a common practice and directed officials of the Transport Department and the RTC to take measures to check it. Chairing the Regional Transport Authority meeting convened here on Wednesday after a gap of two years, the Collector heard about 60 pending cases pertaining to permission for new bus routes, increasing number of services, change of ownership and others.

Regional Transport Officer (Joint Commissioner) Madhusudhan Reddy explained to the Collector that the RTC was plying buses on 875 routes and private operators on another 135. Twenty-five more routes were sanctioned recently.

Illegal transportation

The Collector told transportand RTC officials to coordinate with each other to prevent illegal transportation. Asked about over-the-top travel even in RTC buses, officials explained that it was due to lack of sufficient number of buses.

While some passengers travelled atop unwilling to wait for next bus, some others did it for fun, they noted.

The Collector asked them to spread awareness among passengers.