Festivals bring cheer to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) primarily because they generate the much-needed moolah for the cash-strapped public transport giant.
The recent Sankranthi festivities saw large crowds of commuters travelling from one place to the other to celebrate the festival with their loved ones.
The 5,422 special buses the APSRTC operated during this period to places such as Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru, and destinations within the State such as Visakhapatnam, Amalapuram, Rajamahendravaram, Palakonda, Bhimavaram, Kanigiri, Gudivada, Macharla, Nellore, Chittoor, Pulivendula, Nandyal and KadirI enabled the organisation earn a revenue of ₹144 crore for the corporation from January 7 to 18. But the happiness proved to be short-lived as the commuter traffic hit a slump post-festivities, bringing down the occupancy ratio in the buses.
