Rajamahendravaram: Private travel bus operators seek government help

Rajamahendravaram: The private travel buses operations in the district were stalled from March due to corona pandemic and over 1,000 workers such as drivers, conductors, cleaners, helpers and other staff lost their livelihood. As many as 200 private travel buses from the district, of them 60 buses from Konaseema area used to transport passengers to Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Chattisgarh from the district.

Over 30 private travel buses such as Kaveri, Dhanunjaya, Jayanthi, Orange, Siri, CMR, CRK, Meghana and SGK are operating the services. Because of corona-induced lockdown restrictions, the travel managements not paying salaries to staff and they are expressing their helplessness to pay salaries due to lack of business. Gokavaram bus station in Rajamahendravaram, Balaji tank in Kakinada and municipal office centre in Amalapuram were seen busy with private travel buses from 7 pm to 11 pm. Meanwhile all the buses are not in a position to operate as they were kept idle from five months and seats and other parts in buses are damaged.

A worker D Kanaka Raju working in a private travels bus company demanding the government to extend financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to them on par with auto drivers.