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| From 1603 in 1989, SRTC has just 847 vehicles today | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 1: Having been set up to generate revenue and create job opportunities in the state, the State Road Transport Corporation is running in losses and there has been 47 percent reduction in the number of vehicles since 1990.
The State Road Transport Corporation was established as government transport undertaking in 1948 with a fleet of 50 buses and was later converted into Corporation in 1976.
The Corporation had 1603 vehicles in 1989, including 978 buses and 625 trucks.
Their number has reduced to 847-528 buses and 319 trucks.
Among these vehicles, the government figures reveal 397 are over aged.
Similarly, the number of employees has decreased from 6650 to 2147 since 1989.
Earlier the government, after noticing the poor economic status of the department had decided to outsource the SRTC on 'public-private partnership' mode.
A source in the SRTC said it has suffered over Rs 160 crore losses over the last one decade and its assets are lying defunct for the last several years.
Official figures reveal that SRTC has earned revenue of Rs. 98.29 crore during 2016-17 and Rs 95.55 crore during 2018-2019.
"The revenue part is continuously declining and even not able to pay salaries to employees," the source said.
Struggling to provide salaries to its employees, the government has sold its land at several places and established offices from various departments there.
One such example is government has been constructing Tehzeeb Mehal on SRTC land near TRC Srinagar. Similarly, the Lalchowk bus stand of the SRTC has been given to the street vendors.
An SRTC driver said they are without salaries for last two months. "We have been often facing delay in releasing our salaries," he said.
He however hope that newly launched electric buses would run smoothly.
20 electric buses were flagged off by Governor Satya Pal Malik recently.
The Governor observed that the start of electric bus service is a step forward towards providing eco-friendly public transportation with modern facilities to the commuters in the region. He emphasized on using E-Buses to abate pollution levels.
A senior official said government was making efforts for revival of SRTC. "We have also procured 40 electric buses. Besides overage vehicles are also being replaced," he said. |
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