The APSRTC is preparing to effectively implement the free travel scheme for women from August 15, as part of the coalition government’s election promise. The APS RTC Governing Council met under the chairmanship of the company’s chairman Konakalla Narayana to discuss the steps to be taken to implement it.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu giving a clarification on this scheme said on Tuesday that the free travel facility will be confined within their districts and they have to pay full charges if they want to travel beyond their district.
RTC MD Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, RTC zonal chairman, EDs, and other high-ranking officials of the central and state governments who are board members participated in the meeting held at the RTC central office in Vijayawada. In view of CM Chandrababu’s announcement to provide free travel to women in RTC buses from August 15, it was unanimously decided to implement it strictly.
If the congestion in the buses increases, it was decided to introduce additional rented buses in some places. It was resolved to hire drivers and conductors and run the buses through outsourcing. The RTC board passed a resolution requesting the government to allow the recruitment of 7500 staff.
In 2014, the Telugu Desam government had issued orders to provide jobs to the families of employees who lost their lives in the line of duty and those who were medically unfit. In the last five years, the YSRCP government did not implement those orders, resulting in hundreds of RTC employee families being stranded.
To wipe away their tears, a key decision was taken in the meeting to provide jobs in the RTC to the children of medically unfit employees, including compassionate appointments. They also discussed the steps to be taken to increase the number of buses sufficient for passengers and to increase infrastructure.
It was decided to develop several damaged bus stands across the state under the PPP model. The RTC board has prepared proposals for the construction of a bus terminal in the capital, Amaravati.
