BRS Protests ‘Unjust’ RTC Fare Hike
Tension prevailed at Bus Bhavan on Wednesday as BRS leaders and workers held a ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ protest against the recent “unjust” bus fare hike.
Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at Bus Bhavan on Wednesday as BRS leaders and workers held a ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ protest against the recent “unjust” bus fare hike. A large number of party workers gathered at the site following the call given by the party leadership. Jostling broke out between protesters and the police, leading to the detention of several workers.
In anticipation of the protest, police had barricaded Azamabad crossroads and RTC crossroads, blocking the stretch between the two junctions. Additional forces were deployed at Narayanguda, Vidyanagar, Musheerabad and Ashoknagar crossroads, as well as outside the residences of senior BRS leaders.
Key BRS leaders, including working president K.T. Rama Rao, former ministers T. Harish Rao, Sabitha Indra Reddy, T. Padma Rao and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, travelled by TSRTC buses from Mehdipatnam and other points in the city to draw public attention to their protest. They urged the government to roll back the fare hike for city services.
The leaders were initially placed under house arrest but later allowed to board buses. However, some leaders, including former minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and MLA D. Sudheer Reddy, were detained after boarding at Amberpet and taken to nearby police stations.
G. Deviprasad Rao, former chairman State Beverages Corporation, who accompanied Harish Rao, said that all those who boarded the bus bought tickets. “We got on the bus at Mehdipatnam and purchased tickets till Sudharshan Theatre, the closest bus stop to Bus Bhavan. We had paid Rs 400 in total," he leader told Deccan Chronicle.
The delegation led by Rama Rao was eventually permitted to enter Bus Bhavan, where they met TSRTC managing director Y. Nagi Reddy and submitted a memorandum. The BRS leaders questioned the rationale behind offering free bus travel for women while doubling fares for other categories, including passes. Rama Rao accused the Congress government of pushing the corporation towards privatisation. “The government is trying to sell off TSRTC assets and is hatching a conspiracy to privatise the organisation,” he alleged.
He claimed that the government was attempting to hamper the RTC financially. During the meeting, the BRS delegation sought clarity on pending dues. Nagi Reddy reportedly informed them that Rs 1,353 crore related to the ‘Mahalakshmi’ free bus scheme was yet to be released. The BRS leaders said their previous government had provided Rs 9,246 crore in grants to RTC.
Harish Rao, who travelled in a bus during the protest, interacted with passengers and accused the Congress government of neglecting RTC employees. “Revanth Reddy is moving towards privatising RTC. The Congress government has already hiked bus fares five times since coming to power,” he said.