Covid second wave hits TSRTC services hard
Karimnagar RTC authorities suspend over 50% of services in different routes
Karimnagar: With the second wave of Covid-19 causing havoc across the State, there are few takers for TSRTC bus services with people unwilling to risk bus travel.
Most of the people who have to travel are opting for their own vehicles, including two-wheelers, even if it meant long distance travelling. And if they don’t own a car or two-wheeler, people are hiring private vehicles, including autorickshaws, to reach their destinations.
As a result, the occupancy ratio of TSRTC Karimnagar region has declined to 40 per cent, resulting in a drastic decline in revenue. To avoid further loss, the corporation authorities have suspended more than 50 per cent of services in different routes.
Closure of educational institutions and imposition of night curfew have only added to the poor turnout of passengers. After a 54-day-long lockdown imposed during the first wave of Covid outbreak, operation of RTC buses began on May 19, 2020, with the State government relaxing lockdown norms.
All of a sudden, occupancy ratio had declined by 10 per cent with the State government’s decision of closing all educational institutions. Night curfew added fuel to the fire, a senior RTC officer said.
Per day, Karimnagar region gets Rs 1.10 crore revenue through its 10 depots across erstwhile Karimnagar district, including Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Jagitial and Rajanna-Sircilla. However, it has been declined to Rs 40 lakh. Out of 836 services that existed in ten depots, more than 50 per cent of the services were suspended.
A native of Srirampur of Mancherial district, Kothapalli Komuraiah came to his in-laws’ house in Karimnagar on a bike. A Singareni employee, Komuraiah along with his wife and children travelled more than 70 kms on a two-wheeler.
Speaking to Telangana Today, Komuraiah said at present, travelling in own vehicles was safer than travelling in RTC buses. There was a chance to be infected by the virus if a Covid positive patient travelled in the bus, he opined.
A Sridhar, Regional Manager, Karimnagar region, said occupancy ratio had come down to 55 per cent from 65 with the closure of educational institutions. It further declined to 40 per cent with night curfew.
Every day, each and every bus was being sanitised with hydroxyl chloroquine liquid. However, passengers were avoiding buses in the wake of the second wave of Covid, he said.
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