Andhra Pradesh Government mulls privatisation of RTC bus stations

Tirupati: The Public Transport Department (PTD), formerly known as APSRTC, is moving towards privatising bus stations in a phased manner.

Though the APSRTC has become a part of the government, as part of the promise made by the ruling YSRCP earlier, the health of the Public Transport Department does not seem to have made any turn around. This has now led to a situation where the government has decided to privatise bus stations in a phased manner.

In Tirupati district, the PTD has decided to lease out five bus stations in the first phase and invited expression of interest from private players. A meeting was also held by the officials with interested parties to bring awareness among them about the proposal on April 20 at the RM Office in Tirupati.

Under the new proposal, the area in the bus depots of Srikalahasti, Sullurpeta, Gudur, Kota and Puttur will be leased out for 33 years. The lessee will have to develop the bus station and take up the modernisation or reconstruction of the property on PPP basis and do business for 33 years. The lessees will have to pay some prescribed amount to the PTD which will be increased by five percent every year.

They will also have to develop the bus stations to meet the requirements of the growing rush of passengers. This would include construction of additional platforms, passengers' amenities, bus station manager chambers, commercial complexes, parking, etc, and develop them as model bus stations.

While this may not put any financial burden on the government, the passengers will have to shell down more money as the private players will levy higher charges on the passengers. The parking rates will go up and the cost of products sold in the stalls in the bus station complexes may also be hiked. Though the officials are saying that it is only a proposal and final decision will be based on the responses from the interested parties, they feel it is inevitable to privatise bus stations which have become old and are not able to meet the requirements of the passengers.