KTR Accuses Congress Govt of Pushing TGSRTC Toward Privatization Amid Fare Hike Rows

Hyderabad: The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has intensified its protest against the steep hike in bus fares by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC).

BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR), along with senior party leaders, met TGSRTC Managing Director Nagi Reddy to submit a memorandum demanding an immediate withdrawal of the increased fares.

KTR strongly urged the Congress government to scrap the hiked fares, which have placed a significant burden on the citizens of Hyderabad. He also demanded that the government urgently resolve the TGSRTC’s core problems and fulfill the promises made to its employees. The BRS working president accused the Congress administration of a deliberate plot to push the corporation towards privatization.

Also Read: BRS leaders stage protest over bus fare hike in Hyderabad

“The government is attempting to sell off TGSRTC assets and is ultimately hatching a conspiracy to privatize the organization,” KTR alleged. He asserted that the government is actively trying to cripple the RTC financially. During the meeting with the MD, BRS leaders demanded clarification on government dues. The MD reportedly informed them that ₹1,353 crore related to the ‘Mahalakshmi’ free bus scheme was pending. The BRS leaders, in turn, claimed that their previous government had released ₹9,246 crore as an RTC grant.

Addressing the media after the meeting, KTR launched a scathing attack on the state government’s performance. “This government doesn’t know how to run a government; they only know how to run a circus,” KTR fumed.

He criticized the fare increase, stating it was unjust to impose such a burden on the common and middle-class people of Telangana, especially when the state is facing economic difficulties and a decline in employment opportunities over the past two years.

KTR questioned the rationale behind the hike: “We welcome the free bus 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 with one hand and increase the ticket price with 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,” KTR said, pointing out that the previous KCR government absorbed losses faced by the RTC.

The BRS’s ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ program, organized to protest the fare hike, was marked by high tension. Early in the morning, KTR was placed under house arrest by police deployed in large numbers. Following widespread criticism, the government allowed KTR and other party leaders to proceed to Bus Bhavan. KT Rama Rao,  along with senior leaders like Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Padma Rao Goud, traveled from the Regimental Bazaar bus stop in Secunderabad to Bus Bhavan by bus.

Police attempted to stop them near the RTC Cross Roads, leading to heated arguments. BRS alleged that police acted harshly against their activists and leaders. Eventually, only elected representatives were permitted entry into the Bus Bhavan.

Reacting to the house arrest, KTR said, “When we attempted to stage a peaceful, democratic protest by taking a bus to the RTC MD to hand over a letter, the state government deployed a massive police force and arrested everyone. We are being arrested, yet the state and the capital city are seeing a spiraling crime rate. The police and the government should focus on controlling crime rather than arresting political opponents. Why is the government so afraid of us giving a letter to the RTC MD?” he questioned.

Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, along with his followers, staged a protest at the Malkajgiri junction opposing the recent hike in RTC bus fares.

As part of the demonstration, Rajasekhar Reddy traveled in an RTC bus from Malkajgiri to interact with passengers and understand the impact of the fare hike firsthand. Speaking to the media, he said the increased bus fares had placed an additional financial burden on the public, particularly affecting daily commuters and low-income groups. He demanded that the state government immediately withdraw the increased fares, warning that the BRS would intensify its agitation if there was no rollback.

During the protest, the BRS activists blocked the buses and staged a sit-in on the road, raising slogans against the government. Party leaders, corporators, and a large number of activists participated in the agitation, expressing solidarity with the leaders’ demand.