TSRTC decides to change public transport dynamics

Telangana State Road Transport Corporation’s Greater Hyderabad Zone has an innovative plan for when the nationwide lockdown is relaxed. Before the Covid-19, lockdown was enforced, more than 33 lakh people travelled on RTC buses in Hyderabad city. As and when public transport resumes, social distancing will still be in place. The dynamics and economics of public transport will have to change.

Veerla Venkateshwarlu, Greater Hyderabad Zone executive director, explained that the markings (for social distancing) will not take much time and the same with reducing the number of existing seats. The capacity of buses will reduce too. Where 70 to 80 passengers travelled on a bus, now this will be restricted to 25 to 30.

Mr Venkateshwarlu said that the innovative idea which will be introduced if the top brass agrees, is ‘Ground Booking’. This means buses will not have ticket conductors inside the bus; the conductors will be stationed at bus shelters and bus stops to take the fare before the passenger boards.

There are 19,693 buses in the RTC city division. Around 16,000 of these are drivers and conductors. There are 1,970 bus stops and 1,317 bus shelters that connect 394 colonies in the city of

Hyderabad. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mr Venkateshwarlu said, “We are expecting a meeting in a day or two. It all depends on the government’s instructions. This is the plan which we have chalked out for the city service, but we need a nod from the higher authorities.”

According to Mr Venkateshwarlu, before the lockdown, RTC provided special services to government employees, ladies, and school and college students with a fleet of 3000 buses. Each bus earned an average of `7,794 per day, with occupancy of 70.37 per cent. He added that if the government implements the rule of social distancing, then we will have a bigger challenge in front of us, which will also bring a change in the current fare.

● THE CAPACITY of buses will reduce. Where 70 to 80 passengers travelled on a bus, now this will be restricted to 25 to 30.