HYDERABAD : The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), Hyderabad city region, is all set to launch mini bus services very soon to increase its revenue and to offer better services for passengers.

The mini buses will function on a hire scheme basis tenders for which were already called on March 23 and May 6. If things go accordingly, three buses will be on the road within a week.

Areas identified

The mini buses, according to city Regional Manager C. Panduranga Murthy, are also a ploy to take the air out of the RTC's long-standing rival, the seven-seater auto-rickshaw, which is also notorious on the pollution and safety aspects.

"We have already identified some areas where the mini buses will ply.

All ordinary general passes will be accepted on mini buses," Mr. Murthy told The Hindu .

"We made proposal for 50 mini buses, of which 22 have been sanctioned.

As of now, we received 10 applications for tenders," he said.

For the rest, the buses of the applicants will be sent for inspection to the Committee of Engineers. RTC's night services, another long-pending proposal, will also be launched soon.

Nearly 150 services will ply from 8 p.m. to till 3 a.m. for which recruitment of crew is in progress and conductors are undergoing training, according to the official.

"We will recruiting 200 conductors and 200 drivers for these services, says Mr. Murthy.

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