TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The concessional pass scheme has acted as a shot in the arm for the traditionally loss making Kadamba Transport Corporation with the corporation recording profit of almost Rs 8 crore since the implementation of the scheme, from January 1, 2013.
Corporation has issued nearly 2.6 lakh passes, with 22,000 being sanctioned every month, in last one year.
The scheme which received an overwhelming response has registered almost 10 percent rise in number of daily passengers, a senior KTC official told Herald.
The official said that the concessional pass system has worked smoothly with the KTC registering profit of almost Rs 5 lakh per month. Official said that government, in the very beginning of the introduction of scheme, had sanctioned Rs 5 crore towards compensation while the balance had to incurred by the corporation.
Official however admitted that the financial position of KTC is not sound as it is incurring losses on daily basis with increasing expenditure as against revenue generation.
“Our major loss is on non-profitable routes, where we are bound to ply since private players refuse to run their buses on these routes. Also there is no scope for further operation in the profitable routes as it is ruled by private bus operators,” the official said.
Though he could not give exact figures, the officer said that KTC continued to suffer loss for the current financial year 2013-14 but of a smaller order.
The corporation for last couple of years has been reeling under heavy financial loss and had been seeking subsidy from the government.
Several steps such as increasing number of routes and buses were taken to overcome the crisis.
KTCL’s woes aggravated with the Rs 43 crore Sixth pay commission salaries it had to pay its employees in 2010, and monthly liability of Rs 1.3 crore by way of employees’ salaries.
Total financial loss incurred by KTCL was Rs 15 crore in 2012-13, Rs 14 crore in 2011-12, Rs 13 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 14 crore in 2009-10.
… to launch online service
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited is in the process of launching online public announcement system at all major bus stands to inform passengers about the timing of each KTC buses, thereby providing hassle-free public transport service.
The proposal that is at the planning stage also aims to create awareness about various KTC schemes which the public can avail of.
“It would be an e-public announcement system that would also create awareness amongst public about various rules, including reservation of ladies and senior citizen seats,” senior Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited official told Herald.
