According to officials, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation’s bus services are unlikely to be affected due to the recent hike in high speed diesel (HSD) prices for bulk buyers.
There were concerns that TSRTC may explore the possibility of reducing bus services, to compensate for possible losses due to price hike. However, officials said that would not happen.
As mentioned in these columns, the transport juggernaut, which had earlier lowered HSD prices in the retail market, was facing a steep hike of around ₹7 per litre. In an unusual move, TSRTC formed committees involving its officers to identify and tie up with retail fuel suppliers near its depots to top up its buses.
Due to HSD price hike, TSRTC was expecting a loss between ₹38 lakh to ₹40 lakh per day. But, so far, TSRTC officials said that the buses being topped up at retail fuel suppliers seem to have stopped the situation from escalating.
“We have our own retail outlets. But now we are getting diesel from retail filling stations. At the moment there is no problem. All our buses are being loaded at these retail outlets. So, the extent of damage we expected is yet to be seen,” said a senior TSRTC official.
When contacted, VC Sajjanar, Managing Director, TSRTC said, “We have not reduced any bus service due to increase in diesel prices. There are currently no plans to reduce them in the future.”