As Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar completes three years in office, he sits down with The Hindu to talk about his vision for the city vis-a-vis public transport, the roadblocks that have come in the way, and the several initiatives he has launched at Road Transport Authority (RTA) to reduce red tape and corruption. Excerpts from the interview:
Q: What is your vision of public transport, especially with regard to TSRTC?
In foreign and Indian megacities, buses play a crucial role. It is unfortunate that public transport is a loss making proposition everywhere. That is why I take the example of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, which has cross-subsidy. They have a ₹50,000 crore corpus fund. We have debts, they have deposits. A similar thought was had and the Chief Minister wanted GHMC to pay ₹500 crore, but they were soon in doldrums. In Hyderabad, we suffered a lot and we are suffering still. We bought diesel for ₹65 three years ago. Now it for ₹105. We are buying 325 buses under FAME – II scheme. We would do better to integrate the Metro, MMTS and TSRTC. This should happen when TSRTC becomes a bit healthier.
Q: When, do yo think, will TSRTC be healthier?
It would be hasty to say that TSRTC would break even. Even in undivided Andhra Pradesh, losses were high. After division, we found ourself in a ₹1,800 crore gross loss. Now, It is about ₹8,000 crore. The strike in 2019, COVID outbreak, and fuel price hike have made things difficult. We are slowly working on depots. MD Sajjanar garu has taken up depot profitability. All depots were in losses. Now, slowly a few depots are becoming profitable. At least 50% of depots will show profit slowly. But, we do need a bailout package from the government. The CM has given ₹1,500 crore from the budget to meet expenses such as salaries. Before the strike, we had touched revenues of ₹13 crore to ₹14 crore per day. It came down to ₹3 crore. During COVID, between ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore. A gross revenue of ₹7,000 crore was lost.
Q: What are your plans to increase occupancy rate (OR)?
The OR was around 65% after strike. But, a healthy OR would be 70 to 75%. This OR is a tough job because everyone has bought two wheeler in the pandemic. As minister, I can say there has been an increase in registrations by 30% to 40%. We now have around a crore two-wheelers!
Q: What are the measures to reduce accidents involving TSRTC buses? RTI data suggests ₹151 crore was paid in the past few years as compensation.
The TSRTC has excellent track record in terms of safety. In the last eight years only one accident, that at Kondagattu was major. Even if it is not the TSRTC driver’s fault, compensation has to be paid if there is a loss of limb. Drunk driving at TSRTC is zero. We are a safer corporation and have received national awards.
Q: What would be Telangana’s share in the CESL electric bus tender?
Whatever the Centre is pursuing, there is discrimination towards Telangana. For Goa alone hundreds of buses were given. Similar is the case with Maharashtra. I have raised this concern – that the Centre should be benevolent. But there is no communication with the CESL issue.
Q: There has been a demand for more buses?
Everybody wants new buses and infrastructure. But they don’t want a fare increase. The last fare hike was in 2019. The CM did not give us the go-ahead for another hike. Cess is low – ₹1 or ₹ 2, or a rounding off to the nearest multiple. Most states have rid themselves of public transport. UP, that is five times bigger than Telangana, has only 1,000 buses. They have privatised routes, and these people loot. We don’t want that to happen.
Q: How is the cargo service doing?
Excellent. A brainchild of the CM, it reached a ₹100 crore turnover last year, and over 1 lakh parcels have been delivered. It enjoys the confidence of the public.
Q: How, would you say, is the RTA doing?
We have done a lot. Out of 50 services, 17 service are now online. I have reduced in-person interaction at the RTA office, resulting in reduction of corruption and red tape. The m-wallet we have introduced entails not carrying physical documents. I would like at least 25 services to be made online. Plans are afoot to increase RTA offices.
