The APSRTC will begin its Medaram jatara special
operations from February 9 to 16 and run 3,600 buses from various
destinations in the State, said Executive Director (Operations) G.V.
Ramana Rao.
The RTC transported 55 lakhs pilgrims
during last jatara in 2014 and it estimates that about 16 lakh pilgrims
depend on buses to reach the jatara site this time.
“The
arrival of pilgrims has already started. On Sunday, we operated 100
buses. For the last one month, we have been running more buses from
district headquarters,” he told the newsmen.
Mr. Rao was here on Monday and visited Medaram village to review the arrangements made by the APSRTC.
A/c buses
The corporation proposes to run 100 buses, including air conditioned buses, from Hyderabad every day, during the jatara time.
Earlier,
the RTC operated 20 buses per day from state capital. The RTC is
pressing into service 12,000 personnel for special operations of the
jatara.
They include security staff, mechanics,
drivers, conductors and supervisors. It is also introducing 300 Ticket
Issuing Machines (TIMs) to help pilgrims obtain tickets without waiting
for long in queues.
Referring to cost benefit of
operations, Mr. Rao said during the last jatara, the RTC earned a
revenue of Rs. 16 crore and this time it would be more.
“It
is a break even position from our view. The expenditure involved is
huge. We cannot operate keeping profit in view as ours is largest
transport organisation on which people depend. We need to rise to their
expectations rather calculate profit and loss,” he said.
The
district administration has earmarked 45 acres of land adjacent to the
jatara site at Medaram village for setting up temporary bus stand and
other facilities for the ASPRTC personnel on jatara duties like
accommodation, kitchen among others.
Executive director (Administration) A Purushottam, Regional Manager E. Yadagiri and other officials were present.
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