Officials bring TSRTC’s financial condition to CM KCR’s notice

The officials explained that if the salaries of TSRTC employees and staff are increased, there would be a heavy financial burden on the corporation.

Hyderabad: Officials brought to the notice of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao the precarious financial condition that the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation was in, following the increase in diesel price, the impact of the Covid-triggered lockdown and piling up of pending dues.

Participating in a review meeting on TSRTC functioning at Pragathi Bhavan here on Thursday, the officials explained that if the salaries of TSRTC employees and staff are increased, there would be a heavy financial burden on the corporation. Unless the government extends major financial assistance to TSRTC and the ticket prices are hiked, the financial burden cannot be offset or reduced, they explained.

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“The last time ticket prices were increased, diesel price was Rs 67 per litre. But within a short time, diesel price has gone up by Rs 15 per litre. This has had a very adverse impact on TSRTC and increased the financial burden. The TSRTC incurred losses due to the lockdown and it has a heavy burden of dues. Under these circumstances, if salaries of RTC employees are increased, then it would only be additional burden on the corporation,” the officials pointed out, and asserted that TSRTC was not in a position to bear that burden. Hence, the State government should extend more financial assistance and bus fares should be increased, they said, adding that unless these two measures are taken, TSRTC will not be able to come out of the crisis.

“However, compared to the past, TSRTC is in a better position now. With the help of the State government and several measures initiated in the corporation, there is a qualitative change in the RTC. Plying buses to AP has yielded good result, and occupancy rate has improved to 58 per cent. This is gradually increasing. This is fetching the corporation Rs 9 crore profit every day. The situation will be much better in the days to come, but the increase in diesel rates is causing losses to the RTC. Losses incurred due to lockdown and dues are still a financial burden on the TSRTC,” they said.

Chandrashekhar Rao, congratulating the RTC officials for the success of cargo services, said through cargo service, TSRTC had transported 17.72 lakh parcels and earned Rs 22.61 crore for corporation. “People are also happy with the cargo services,” he said and congratulated cargo services Special Officer Krishna Kanth.

The people, he said, have developed faith that the parcels sent by TSRTC cargo will reach the destination on time and safely. He said making door deliveries of parcels in remote areas was laudable. The Chief Minister urged TSRTC officials to serve people and passengers with the same spirit.

Transport Minister Puvvada Ajaykumar, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Transport) Sunil Sharma, Principal Secretary (Finance) Ramakrishna Rao, Financial Advisor Ramesh, Cargo Special Officer Krishna Kanth, ED Yadagiri and others participated in the meeting and briefed the Chief Minister about the situation in the corporation.

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