Hyderabad: The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation recorded an RTC Sankranti revenue of Rs 67.40 crore in five days due to a heavy passenger rush during the festival, officials said on Saturday.
Officials said the earnings were generated between January 9 and 13 through ticket sales. During this period, the average daily income stood at Rs 13.48 crore. This marked a sharp rise from the usual daily average of Rs 10.78 crore.
According to officials, the higher income was mainly driven by the operation of special bus services. As a result, the corporation earned an additional Rs 2.70 crore per day compared to normal operations. Moreover, the surge in travel demand led the RTC to deploy thousands of extra buses on key routes.
The RTC Sankranti revenue increase, officials said, reflected strong seasonal travel demand. At the same time, the transport body focused on managing large crowds moving to native places across the state.
RTC Sankranti revenue supported by 6,431 special bus services
Against the backdrop of the festive rush, the RTC operated 6,431 special buses during Sankranti. Officials said this strategy helped ease congestion at major bus stations. It also ensured smoother travel for passengers during peak days.
However, several passengers complained about higher fares on special buses. They alleged that ticket prices matched those charged by private operators. In response, RTC officials clarified that a 50 percent additional charge was levied on special services as per existing norms.
RTC authorities said special buses would continue to operate on January 18 and 19. Therefore, the same additional charges would apply to handle the post-festival return rush.
