TSRTC to hike fares by 25-30 paise per km

Telangana State Road Transport Corporation has proposed a hike of 25 paise per km for ordinary and Palle Velugu buses, and 30 paise per km for Express and higher services.

Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar and TSRTC MD Sajjanar during a media conference to announce the proposed hike of ticket fare, in Hyderabad on Wednesday, Dec 1, 2021. (Photo | EPS, R V K Rao) 

HYDERABAD: It had been termed inevitable, and it is almost on the brink now. TSRTC is all set to hike bus fares and the proposal will shortly get a nod from the Chief Minister. The corporation has proposed a hike of 25 paise per km for ordinary and Palle Velugu buses, and 30 paise per km for Express and higher services.

A defunct water fountain, mirroring
the state of TSRTC’s finances,
welcomed Transport Minister Puvvada
Ajay Kumar and other officials at
Transport Bhavan in Hyderabad on
Wednesday (Photo | EPS, RVK Rao)

Speaking to media persons at Transport Bhavan on Wednesday, Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar blamed the 27.5 per cent hike in fuel prices (over a two-year period) as the reason behind the corporation’s decision, which has now put forth the proposal to the government. 

“Everyone knows how much the Centre milked fuel and how less the State governments were benefited by it. A total of Rs 370 lakh crore was made by the Centre through cess, but States (like Telangana) could only make a meagre Rs 22,000 crore. The impact of this was faced by public transports like the RTC,” he said.