RTC exploring ways to increase revenue as ‘free travel’ scheme hits finances

The TSRTC authorities have proposed to do away with the free travel in special buses and collect fares instead, which would sustain the corporation’s revenue.

Hyderabad: Seeking to wriggle out of the financial impact caused by the Congress government’s Maha Lakshmi poll promise, which provides free bus travel for women, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is apparently looking at ways to increase its revenues.

The TSRTC authorities have proposed to do away with the free travel in special buses and collect fares instead, which would sustain the corporation’s revenue.

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Since its launch in December 2023, nearly 11 crore women have availed the free travel facility in City Ordinary, Metro Express and Palle Velugu buses across Telangana.

Officials point out instances of women travelling in buses just because it was free. Of late, there have also been reports of people boarding long-distance express buses and halting them at intermittent stops or wherever they want.

With this, the RTC officials had to appeal to the women not to do so. During the Sankranti festive season, women were allowed to travel for free in the special buses run by the corporation.

Officials said the free travel will be applicable on special services on all festivals. But with the ‘Samakka-Sarakka’ biennial fair to take place at Medaram in Mulugu in February, RTC officials have proposed to do away with free travel in special buses and collect fares.

Recently, top RTC officials met Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar to discuss the budget of the Transport Department.

The officials reportedly suggested that if fares were collected for women in special buses during the festive season, there was a possibility of an increase in revenue. However, it is learnt that the government had turned down the proposal.

It had, in fact, assured the corporation that the total cost will be borne by it, including the forthcoming Medaram fair. The TSRTC plans to run about 6,000 special buses for the Medaram fair to be held from February 21-24.