EV Buses Roll Out To Clean Hyderabad Air

Hyderabad: Telangana took a major step towards cleaner transport on Wednesday, with Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar flagging off 60 electric buses at the Kukatpally depot. The rollout is part of 500 buses being inducted into TGSRTC, aimed at serving new colonies along the Outer Ring Road and cutting urban pollution.

Prabhakar announced that 2,200 more electric buses would soon be added. Of the 10,000 buses in the RTC fleet, 1,000 are already electric. “We are operating 960 electric buses initially, of which 580 are on inter‑city routes. If we expand to 3,000, carbon dioxide emissions can be cut by 600 tonnes,” he said.

The state has introduced policies to curb vehicular emissions, including rebates of up to 20 per cent on EV purchases for government employees, which has boosted sales.

The flagging‑off ceremony was attended by Madhavaram Krishna Rao MLA, Naveen MLC, Medchal district collector Manu Chaudhary, TSRTC managing director Nagi Reddy and other officials.

Diesel commercial and private vehicles remain major contributors to nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, with activists repeatedly warning of deteriorating air quality.

TGSRTC figures show that 35 lakh passengers use RTC services daily in the Twin Cities.

Addressing the gathering, Prabhakar said, “We launched these buses with the noble objective of reducing pollution and with the aim of deploying electric buses across the network by 2027. Electric vehicles were introduced to ensure Hyderabad does not face the severe pollution issues currently plaguing Delhi. Everyone is aware of the impact of petrol and diesel prices on public transport.”

He noted that reforms had been introduced since the Congress government assumed office. “Currently, we are operating 545 electric buses in Hyderabad. Under a Central Government scheme, we will add 2,200 more across the state,” he said.

Plans are also under way to expand the Kukatpally depot, with instructions issued to officials to propose a new facility on a five‑acre plot.

On employee issues, Prabhakar said, “We will meet RTC unions immediately after the elections to understand and address their concerns. A hearing will be held on the second Tuesday of every month to listen to grievances.”