Sudharkar Paricharak, MLA who is the chairman of the MAHARASHTRA STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION (MSRTC) has initiated a slew of measures to turn the public transport corporation into a service-oriented and profit-making body. He has taken several initiatives including starting phone service on buses, adding new vehicles to the existing fleet, starting incentive schemes for increasing the passenger traffic. The MSRTCis all set to post a record profit of Rs 150 crores in the current financial year. After a gap of 15-years, MSRTC earned a profit of Rs. 23 crores. The rise in profit owes to offer quality service with concept of safety first and introduction of air condition buses In a tete-a-tete with the FPJ Chief Reporter RAJESH TIWARI, Sudhakar paricharak, the MSRTC chairman discussed the new initiatives of the MSRTC. Q: How many buses does the MSRTC have in its fleet? A: MSRTC operates about 16,200 buses and they run 84,000 trips daily for 60 lakh travellers. We are considered to be the safest mode of transport and this is borne by the amount of public trust in our services. Q: Will you please explain your 'Pravasi vadhva vishesh abhiyan' (special drive for luring passengers)? We have decided to give three cash prizes and revolving trophy to the depot which has succeeded in wooing maximum passengers to travel in the state-run buses. We give first prize of Rs 50000, second prize of Rs 25000, and third prize of Rs 15000. The division is given cash prize of Rs 25000 and conductor is given a cash prize of Rs 1000. Q: MSRTC is considered to be the largest public transport corporation in Maharashtra, what newer initiatives have you taken for the benefit of the passengers. A: Besides introducing quicker, swifter and safer travel, MSRTC plans to deliver tickets to passenger at their door step. Similarly travellers are now getting MSRTC buses time table on mobiles and in future plans are afoot to start online booking. Q: What are other plans? A: As government promised to lower the passengers tax, Corporation will introduce AC buses from Pune, Kolhapur, Amravati, Nagpur, Aurangabad depots and also comfortable 2x2 buses. Drivers and conductors are being given regular training as also to officers and employees. Q: What value-added service does MSRTC plan to give? A: State-run buses equipped with phones service were started. Local calls from these phones are charged at Rs one per minute and outstation calls at Rs one for every 20 seconds. More than 4500 buses run carry the service.. Q: This value-added service should help generate more profits? A: We are not looking entirely at profits here. It's an additional service that we are providing. We would be getting 25 per cent of Airtel's revenue from this project. MSRTC has always endavoured to provide better facilities to its passengers. Taking advantage of the recent revolution in communication, MSRTC in collaboration with Airtel is launching telephone facility in its 4000 odd buses to facilitate communication for its passengers. This added facility will definitely be MSRTC's one more step towards modernization.