RTC to appoint more booking agents

HYDERABAD: The APSRTC will set up more Advance Ticket Booking Centres soon, perhaps in a couple of days.According to managing director B Prasada Rao, there are 700 centres functioning in the state now.If new centres come up in areas not served by booking agents, more number of passengers can have access to reservation facility which, in turn, makes it easy for passengers and improves the bus occupancy ration.Towards this end, the corporation has decided to reduce the security deposit collected from agents to Rs 25,000 in towns, Rs 15,000 at district headquarters and Rs 5,000 in villages.Till now, the deposits varied from as much as Rs 5 to Rs 8 lakh.At present, a commission of 3.5 to 4 percent is being paid to agents on each ticket sold.With regard to high-security number plates for all vehicles, Prasada Rao said tenders would be called after receiving the go-ahead from the government