RTC to launch cargo buses in Hyderabad

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is all set to start its own logistic business in Hyderabad.

Accordingly, the Corporation is making efforts to launch 50 cargo transport vehicles in the city. The order has already been placed for these vehicles. If all plans go well, the cargo and parcel services will be available by this month end.

These 50 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.

The move comes in the wake of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao directing officials to prepare a strategy to launch the cargo and parcel services to all destinations, wherever an RTC bus could reach.

According to officials, TSRTC wants to ensure that all departments including medical and health, agriculture and marketing, civil supplies, beverages, secondary and higher education avail their transportation facilities as it will be able to cut down their transportation costs.

A Purushotham, Executive Director (Revenue & IT), TSRTC, said they would initially



launch the 50 cargo transport vehicles in the Hyderabad zone limits as such services were in good demand here.

“Based on the response to the service, we will extend these services to other parts of the State. Cargo services are also available for general use and people can book the buses for transferring their goods,” he said.

However, people have to take care of loading and unloading their goods as RTC will only provide driver and a cleaner in cargo transport vehicles, Purushotham said, adding that they were working on fixing the cost and other modalities for the cargo services.

Officials said that cargo transport vehicles are originally district buses in a refabricated shape for such services. Each bus is being rebuilt at a cost of Rs 1 lakh. Recently, RTC had launched mobile bio-toilets, which were refabricated scrapped buses.

At present, the government is availing cargo transport services provided by Navata Road Transport, Kranti Transport & Co, ANL Parcel & Courier Service and other well-known cargo and courier services. From now onwards, TSRTC will be competing with private parties in the logistic business.