TSRTC Managing Director VC Sajjanar attributes the declining trend to the COVID-19 pandemic and uptick in private transport
TSRTC Managing Director VC Sajjanar attributes the declining trend to the COVID-19 pandemic and uptick in private transport
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) saw a significant reduction in bus pass sales across all categories from FY 2014-15 to FY 2020-21, the latter year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the corporation hard.
Data relating to TSRTC’s Greater Hyderabad Zone (GHZ), obtained through the Right to Information Act by transport researcher GSR Chaitanya, shows that the fiscal year 2020-21 saw a 77.64% drop in sales of bus passes, one-time buses Was off the road to the pandemic, compared to the previous year.
Once restrictions were eased during the lockdown, bus pass sales grew by over 259% in FY 2021-2022. Despite this, in terms of sales, this number is less than in the financial year 2014-15. As per the data, the total number of passes sold in FY 2014-15 was 44.48 lakh as compared to 24.13 lakh in FY 2021-22, which is a decrease of around 45%.
The data indicates that student bus passes, an important revenue category and comprising a major part of bus pass sales, saw a steady decline since FY 2014-15.
That year, TSRTC sold 16,82,938 passes, and the following year – 15,61,695 passes. In the financial year 2016-17, 14,38,275 passes were sold, followed by 14,09,375 in the next year and 13,83,485 in the subsequent year. The number of passes sold in 2019-2020 was 12,35,192. The corporation sold 3,03,470 student bus passes during 2020-21. While 2021-22 saw a return to pre-pandemic trends with 13,88,658 passes sold in this category, the number is still lower than in FY 2014-15.
There was also a decline in the number of bus passes for the differently-abled. according to a report goodTSRTC has only 122 buses which are handicapped friendly.
talking to HinduTSRTC Managing Director VC Sajjanar shared the data, which points towards recovery in the total number of bus passes sold. The data indicates that till August 2022-23, 14,96,831 passes were sold, which is 11,34,734 more than the corresponding period last year.
However, Sajjanar said the COVID-19 pandemic and public alternatives to private transport could be the reason for the reduction in sales of bus passes. He also said that TSRTC is engaging with educational institutions and students to encourage the sale of student bus passes. “We are reaching out to colleges. Along with this, now digital payment is being promoted. There will be no need to go to the bus pass counters. We are streamlining our efforts,” Mr. Sajjanar said.