Hyderabad witnesses day-long drama over BRS protest against bus fare hike

In a unique protest against the steep bus fare hike, BRS working president KT Rama Rao and other senior leaders boarded a state-run bus to travel to the Bus Bhavan here but not before a high drama with the Opposition party leaders being put under house arrest since morning.

Rao lashed out at the Congress government, alleging that it was going to privatise the state-owned bus service.

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Ahead of the ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ call, BRS leaders on Thursday woke up to a large police presence outside their residences apparently deployed to prevent them from joining the protests.

The large police deployment left KTR fuming, venting his anger on his ‘X’ handle. “All I wanted to do was board an RTC MD office and submit a letter demanding a rollback of the steep hike in bus ticket fares. Look at the number of police officers deployed right now outside my housing complex! All to prevent one person from boarding a bus? Wish the police show the same level of enthusiasm about controlling the crime rate that is spiralling in Hyderabad,” he wrote.

However, as the day progressed, the BRS leaders were allowed to carry out the programme, but not without more drama. KTR and senior BRS leaders travelled from the Regimental Bazaar bus stop in Secunderabad to Bus Bhavan by bus. The police initially tried to stop them before finally letting only the elected representatives proceed to the Bus Bhavan.

The BRS leaders climbed the barricades to enter the Bus Bhavan and submit their memorandum to the managing director of Telangana Regional Transport Corporation (TGRTC).

KT Rama Rao alleged, “The Congress government is attempting to sell off TSRTC assets and is ultimately hatching a conspiracy to privatise the organisation.”

Protesting against the bus fare hike, he said, “We welcome the free bus ride for women, but the number of buses must be increased. They are collecting double the fare from men to offset the free travel for women. It’s cruel to give free service on one hand and increase ticket prices on the other. If the free bus service results in a loss, the government must bear the burden, not the public. Public transport is a social responsibility of the government.”

The state government, however, has maintained that the fare hike was due to its initiative to create infrastructure for electric buses that will be introduced in the city shortly.