While the Congress government in Telangana hiked bus fares within Hyderabad city limits to fund the proposed electric bus infrastructure, the Opposition parties slammed the Revanth Reddy-led government for its scheme offering free rides to women commuters under the Mahalakshmi Scheme, blaming it for the fare increase.
Although the government has attributed the hike to its initiative for a clean and green Hyderabad, it did not cut much ice with the Opposition parties, and even the public blamed the scheme for burdening the common man with a steep fare hike.
The bus fare within Hyderabad city limits was increased with the TGSRTC adding another Rs 5- Rs 10 to the minimum fare. However, the decision led to howls of protest from the Opposition BJP and BRS, who blamed the free ride scheme for women for the losses to the state-run corporation.
Interestingly, the increase in fares did not happen at one go and the student bus pass fares and other services were increased initially. Condemning the government’s decision to hike bus fare, BJP state president N Ramchander Rao said it was an anti-people decision. “On one hand, you are saying that women are riding free, but on the other hand, you expect the common man to pay more. It is unwanted, and the government should withdraw this.” BRS working president KT Rama Rao has also lashed out at the government for bankrupting the state-owned corporation in the first place and then breaking the necks of ordinary passengers by going for such a steep hike.
The state government has decided to replace the fleet of 2800 diesel-run buses with electric ones by 2027. The state bus corporation has already begun installing high-tension power connections in the 25 depots within city limits to charge the new buses at Rs 8 crore per depot. Ten additional depots will also be set up to accommodate the new fleet of electric buses. The total cost of the infrastructure upgrade has been estimated to be around Rs 400 crore.