TSRTC Cargo Services In Times Of Covid
Team Members:
- Aaron Noel
- Nikhitha
- Manaswini
- Ameir
- Sharook
- Praveen
The cargo services transports the parcels and Courier the goods within and outside the state and deliver at the quickest possible time. On 19.06.2020 TSRTC has introduced Parcel, Courier and Cargo services with 150 cargo bus services. The cargo services were operated by the private agencies earlier, but now however, TSRTC has now taken up the task of freight management under its brand with its highly competitive pricing.
(I) ABOUT THE CARGO SERVICES:
At present, TSRTC is providing service to the Govt. Departments such as …………
(1) Telangana Foods, to transport Nutritious food to Children and Pregnant women to all districts in the Telangana from its production center, Nacharam, Hyderabad and to transport raw material from FCI, Cherlapally to Telangana Foods, Nacharam.
(2) TS Marked to carry paddy, Fertilizers and Maize from the procurement centers to PACs/ Go downs.
(3) Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation to transport paddy.
Salient features of Parcel and courier services are:
1.Parcel (in single pack) shall not weigh more than 50 Kgs (1 unit)
2. Bus Dickey will be provided under which one compartment will be given exclusively on monthly basis. Rs.4.00 per Km for Dickey space and advance amount equivalent to one month shall be paid.
3. GST @ 5% is chargeable if the total transportation charges exceed Rs.750/- including other charges
4. Insurance of goods facility is available which is based on shipment value of items declared at the time of booking in the consignment note.
5. Tariff for booking of Parcels and Couriers……
Following the directions given by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao strategies on expanding parcel, courier and cargo services, RTC had begun working on improving these services. It is now looking at expanding services in parcel booking by contacting government departments, non-governmental organizations’ and private companies. The parcel and courier services were being dispatched mostly in ordinary, express and deluxe buses.
Interestingly, during the lockdown, buses of the PCC Service were pressed into service to transport food items to anganwadi centers.
The tariff for booking dickeys, parcels, couriers, and bulk transportation is contingent upon the number of kilometers travelled and weight, among other factors.
ARE THESE SERVICES PROFITABLE ?:
Introduced on June 19, the PCC services are used for freight transport, the first phase of the services made available from 147 bus stations across the State.
The first day of parcel and courier services had registered a revenue of Rs 15,000. This has steadily grown to reach Rs.7 lakh a day. Earlier, the RTC used to earn Rs 2.3 lakh a day through these services.
HOW CARGO SERVICES HELPED TSRTC TO OVERCOME LOSSES
With losses to the TS Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) due to increase in fuel prices, lockdown and pending dues, Telangana government is likely to increase RTC bus fares to bail out the government-run public road transport corporation from the losses.
“If the salaries of the TSRTC employees and staff are increased, there would be heavy financial burden on the TSRTC. Unless the government extends major financial assistance to the RTC and the bus fares are raised, the financial burden of the RTC cannot be reduced,” RTC authorities said in a report submitted to Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao
“The TSRTC incurred losses due to the lockdown imposed due to the pandemic. Under these circumstances, salaries of the employees in RTC have to be increased. If the salaries are increased, then it would cause one burden on the RTC. TSRTC is not in a position to bear that burden. Hence, the state government should extend more financial assistance apart from increasing bus fares. Unless these two measures are taken, the RTC will not be able to come out of the crisis.
Through cargo services the TSRTC transported 17.72 lakh parcels to the destination and earned Rs.22.61 crore.
While the corporation started utilizing around 50 buses for cargo services before the official launch to transport food and beverages to anganwadi centers during the lockdown, it is now planning on expanding its fleet to 104 buses in the first phase. Cargo vehicles will be used to transport government goods such as books, question papers and answer sheets for educational institutions, liquor supplies from the depots, medicinal supplies to hospitals and all other goods being supplied by the government.
REVENUE ACCRUED THROUGH CARGO SERVICES :-
Five months after resumption of services, the TSRTC revenue falling by over 70% during the lockdown and soon after it is now witnessing a growth with overall occupancy registering a steady rise.
TSRTC is currently recording a daily revenue of Rs 10 crore compared to the revenue of 2 crores recorded during the pre-covid times. The occupancy is slowly increasing. They are increasing operations depending on the response from passengers. Corporation’s efforts to increase revenue are getting results with parcel, courier and cargo services (PCC)..
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE PLANS OF TSRTC :-
The Telangana state road transport corporation has allocated Rs 3000 crore by the TS government.
T.S Government shows the helping hand in the 2021-22 state budget.
“TSRTC” is very critical for the public transport system. For some reasons it has been in losses. Even the government is trying to help them time to time to give the best transport services. But increase in the prices of petrol & diesel by the central government bothering RTC.
Besides, the government providing good salaries to TSRTC employees and trying to make the corporation enhance. Security of job has been ensured to the employees. Cargo parcel services was introduced to improve its finances and it’s taking a good shield. And also “Employees Board” was also constituted for the issues to be addressed. Rs 1500 crore has been proposed in the budget to assistance to the TSRTC. And the government is trying to extend the loans raised by TSRTC.
And the government is very confident that the financial position of TSRTC will improve. The future plans are really very helpful for the employees of TSRTC. The hike in the salaries, job security and many more assistance. This seems to the improvement in the financial position of the TSRTC.