Still on hold RTCs of TS, AP even during Festival Season

Despite knowing very well that festival season will be a bonanza for RTCs of both the Telugu states, there has been a continued stalemate between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to start operations in the states. The reason is simple issues not yet sorted out. Dasara is a major festival season wherein people travel between the two states but the RTCs have failed to capitalise on this rush.

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) and the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), thus far, have been unable to come to an agreement either on the number of buses each will ply, nor the number of kilometres. Despite officials of both State transport undertakings meeting, the impasse has been on for nearly a month.

If only the officials concerned were caring about their respective corporations, they could have come to a temporary agreement for the festival season and then sit down to sort the issues. But unfortunately both the governments and concerned officials are not interested in reviving the services, says a senior employee with TSRTC.

Meanwhile, the APSRTC is operating 1,850 special buses to various places within AP and Karnataka, but Telangana state is not in its plans. Earlier, 781 APSRTC buses used to ply on 81 routes to Telangana state every day and nearly 500 TSRTC buses used to run on 21 routes to AP. APSRTC buses used to cover 2.60 lakh km and TSRTC buses 1.60 lakh km.

The Telangana state government has been demanding that APSRTC run its buses on par with TSRTC but the AP government has not agreed. Several rounds of talks to resolve the issue have failed. The absence of direct buses to Hyderabad from AP is forcing people to take private buses which are charging huge fares. Others are taking buses to the nearest point where they can access RTC services of the other state, and taking autorickshaws to cover the distance.