Hyderabad: Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar inaugurated 80 new buses to augment the strength of RTC buses under the Mahalakshmi scheme during a ceremony held at the Ambedkar statue, NTR Marg on Saturday.
The buses, comprising 30 Express, 30 Rajdhani A, and 20 Lahari sleeper–cum-seater (non-AC) buses, were flagged off.
These new buses are part of the broader procurement plan of the public transport body, which aims to acquire 1,050 buses at a cost of Rs 400 crore.
The overall procurement includes 400 Express buses, 512 Palle Velugu buses, 92 Lahari sleeper-cum-seater buses, and 56 AC Rajdhani buses.
During the inauguration, minister Ponnam Prabhakar highlighted the success of the Mahalakshmi scheme, made possible by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's efforts, which provides free travel to women in RTC buses, benefiting six crore women and significantly improving accessibility for women across the state.
Prabhakar, highlighting the government's commitment to safeguarding the RTC organisation and its employees, assured that all pending dues would be settled in instalments. He also addressed the achievement of 100 per cent occupancy in RTC buses, promising continuous improvements in travel amenities for passengers. In a bid to enhance safety measures, the transport minister pledged to make RTC bus stands safe and secure for women, stressing on the importance of maintaining law and order in the city.
TSRTC MD Sajjanar, Hyderabad police commissioner K. Sreenivas Reddy and officials from the RTC and transport department took part in the meeting.
