Andhra Pradesh government is planning to convert the APSRTC into a cash cow. Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu wants the public transport corporation generate non-traffic revenue by using the properties of the corporation which are located in the prime places in the cities.
To implement the plan, the APSRTC corporation is mulling over to convert all its bus stations in to business centres- one stop shops. As per the plan, in the first phase, the corporation will convert 100 bus stations into commercial and entertainment hubs by making everything available not only to the commuters but also the general public. The plan is to transform the present bus stations into commercial centres of the city which people love to visit not only for shopping purposes but for recreation as well. According to MD N Sambasivarao, the Bus Stations, which are now located all most at the heart of the cities and towns are going to house clinics, diagnostic centres, mini-movie theatres and grocery stores.
The purpose is to earn more non-traffic revenue like the railways.
Now, the non-traffic revenue is limited to the tariff being collected from the advertising tariff from the ads displayed on and inside buses and shops built in the bus stations. Now bus stations would become multistorey-structures housing every commercial activity normally seen in the city centres and big malls.
RTC plans to walk an extra mile to implement the economic agenda of the chief minister by constructing clinics and diagnostic centres also.
At present the non-traffic revenue of APSRTC is just Rs 100 crore and plans are being prepared to increase this to Rs 250 crore next year.
“If any person wants to visit the city or town for shopping or to watch a movie or to consult a doctor, he doesn’t need to go to the far corners of the city searching the address. Soon, bus stations would be places where everything is available. They can get off at the bus station and attend to their works and without leaving the station complex they can get back home,” the MD said.
