Transport Minister M. Ramprasad Reddy has said that the government will implement a fool-proof and sustainable scheme to offer free bus travel to women in the State.
In an interaction with The Hindu on July 5 (Friday), the Minister said great care was being taken to ensure that there are no loose ends when the scheme is finally launched. According to provisional estimates, the scheme would cause a daily revenue loss of ₹4 crore to the State exchequer and a monthly expenditure of around ₹120 crore. Out of 40 lakh passengers who travel by AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses daily, 15 lakh women will benefit by the free bus ride scheme. “However, we are determined to go ahead and put in place a robust mechanism after thoroughly studying the pros and cons,” he emphasised.
The Minister said a delegation from the State will visit Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where the scheme is already in force, to study the modalities. “We need to look at the key aspects of the categorisation of the beneficiaries and the bus services (what category of buses to be covered under the scheme). We also have to decide if separate buses exclusively for women should be introduced or whether the beneficiaries can travel in normal buses,” he said.
The Minister admits that the scheme cannot be implemented without increasing the number of buses in the APSRTC fleet. “An initial study has revealed that the scheme would cause an immediate 30% increase in the occupancy ratio and we will need more buses and manpower to operate them.,” he said.
In addition to the existing strength of around 10,000 buses in the APSRTC fleet, the TDP-led coalition government has procured 1,489 new buses. Of them, 306 vehicles are already operating in Kuppam, Rayachoti and Visakhapatnam. The State plans to augment the fleet by 150-200 additional buses every month, he said.
Electric buses
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is keen on adding only electric buses to the APSRTC fleet in the next five years, and talks are in progress with representatives of electric bus manufacturing companies like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and Olectra Greentech, Mr. Ramprasad Reddy said.
“Operation of electric buses will be a big help in reducing operational costs. We are also asking the firms to consider plying their buses in rural routes also,” he said. The APSRTC fleet already has 100 e-buses which are being operated on routes like Tirupati-Tirumala, Renigunta airport-Tirupati and Tirupati to Madanapalle, Kadapa and Nellore districts.
Challenges galore
Besides fund crunch, the APSRTC has many other issues waiting to be addressed immediately. A large number of physically disabled workers are confined to duties at depots. The employees’ unions have been demanding adequate salaries for them and also to the outsourced workers and payment of pending amounts to the employees under various heads. “I have been the honorary president of the APSRTC employees union in the past and I understand their issues well. I will make sincere efforts to sort out their issues at the earliest possible time,” he said.
‘Accident-free A.P.’
“Road safety is a multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional subject. I want the Transport Department personnel to be actively involved in effective development and management of roads, improved safety standards in design, construction, operation and maintenance of roads,” he said, adding that henceforth, the thrust would be on “people-friendly transport services.”
Referring to the State shifting to a digital format of issuing driving licences and registration cards of vehicles, the Minister said physical form of printed cards will be revived soon.
Published - July 05, 2024 08:22 pm IST
