RTC to enter cargo business to boost revenues

HYDERABAD: To come out the losses that were incurred during the strike by the Telangana employees, the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is contemplating to enter into cargo business.The APSRTC has a whopping number of 7,000 buses which have outlived their utility in transporting passengers. The corporation is planning to use them as cargo buses. According to officials, the APSRTC is studying the viability of cargo business.APSRTC managing director B Prasada Rao said that the proposal of cargo business is at a primary stage. "We are working on all the possibilities of utilising worn-out buses for cargo transportation. We are also planning to buy heavy duty trucks for the purpose," he said. The road transport corporation which has over one lakh employees has bee mired in losses.  According to information the corporation has incurred Rs 2,000 crore loss of which Rs 230 crore was on account of Sakala Janula Samme.The organisation is facing fund crunch and as a result not in a position to replace the worn-out buses. According to officials there are 7,000 worn-out buses in the organisation.  As the government had come forward to help the corporation to purchase 2,000 buses immediately and another 4,000 more buses soon, the old buses would be used as cargo transport vehicles.Already the corporation is using three worn-out buses in Rangareddy district to transport vegetables.