Like most of the ministers in Chandrababu Naidu cabinet, Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao also seems to be helpless and failing to influence his own department in decision making. On most of issues, he is seen as a silent spectator.

Senior officials in the department hardly waiting for minister’s consent on policy issues. It seems they have been getting `orders’ directly from Chief Minister’s peshi.

Some ten days ago, he has given assurance through media there would be no hike in RTC fares during Sankranthi vacations for special buses. It may be recalled that since few years both Transport Corporations in Telugu states have been collecting `surcharge’ for special buses during festive seasons, which amounts to about 50 per cent of original charge.

During this Sankranthi, APSRTC has been running over 5,000 special buses. Besides minister’s assurance, the RTC is collecting 50 per cent additional charges from passengers. No one in the department seems to be taken serious of the minister’s statements.

Likewise, the minister also assured the public that the government will take strict action against private bus operators, who have been running unauthorized services. The private bus operators are collecting two to three time’s higher charges during weekends and festive times. The minister promised the people that transport authorities will prevent such illegal services.

Several TDP leaders, besides two MPs are involved in such operations. The government has never been showing interest to check them. The RTC is facing over Rs 4,000 crore outstanding loans. The minister felt that it would be easy to improve RTC finances by checking unauthorized private bus operations. But, private bus operators seems to be more powerful in the government, than the minister himself.

Raghava Rao is a first time MLA and he was promoted by the TDP hierarchy due to his financial resources, more than his contribution for the strengthening of the party in Prakasam district.