RTC not in driver's seat on Gannavaram land

VIJAYAWADA: A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the proposed APSRTC Employees' Hospital, Institute of Transport Management and Road Safety (ITMRS) and Driver's Training College at Gannavaram.
According to APSRTC sources, the state government is interested in allotting 40 acres of land in Gannavaram to information and technology companies. The same land parcels were earlier handed over to the transport corporation for taking up various developmental projects.Sources said that a few days ago the state government directed RTC officials to prepare necessary documents to transfer the land to the government by the end of March. The government officials explained that the land parcels could bring international companies of repute to the state.
As of now, APSRTC higher-ups have agreed to transfer the lands to the government. However, no alternative land parcels have been allotted to the corporation. "So far, no decision has been taken on compensation or arrangement of alternative land for these projects," said a senior RTC official.
As per the plans, the buildings and other infrastructure, which are already developed at the site, would be demolished and officials will call for tenders to lease the lands to the IT companies. Sources further said the land will be leased to a few private companies for 99 years at extremely low rates (Rs 1 per 1 sqft).
"It is really sad to see that the APSRTC is not interested in protecting its own employees. Earlier, the officials wanted to construct the hospital at Vidyadharapuram. That plan did not materialise. Later, the then managing director N Sambasiva Rao promised the employees that the hospital will be constructed at Gannavaram by 2018. After hearing about the latest development, we are fast losing hope," said Ch Sundara Rao, general secretary of APSRTC S&WF.
It may be recalled that after state bifurcation, the AP government accepted few proposals submitted by the transport corporation to develop and aid their staff. In a bid to raise driving standards, APSRTC decided to operate Institute of Transport Management and Road Safety (ITMRS), Integrated Road Transport Academy, Zonal Training Centre and build a driving track and a road safety building at Gannavaram.
Already the training centre and ITMRS are partially operational. "Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU) clearly mentioned that driving college must be operated to increase passenger safety. But APSRTC is not working towards that objective," said another employee.
Meanwhile, sources said plans are afoot for the transport corporation to give away another two properties at Vidyadharapuram and Eluru to private companies.