Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Krishank Manne has raised serious allegations of corruption against the Congress government concerning the Telangana Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) ticketing contract.
Krishank claimed that the contract for the Automatic Fare Collection System, worth crores of rupees, was awarded to Chalo Mobility without following proper tender procedures. According to him, the TGSRTC management’s explanation attempts to cover up these alleged wrongdoings.
He argued that the Mahalaxmi scheme, funded by taxpayers, should not be used to benefit a particular company.
“When questioned about the TGSRTC ticketing contract, the government mentioned the free bus scheme. Is it a license for corruption?”, he asked
He stated that while the Hyderabad Metro already uses an Automatic Fare Collection system, the TGSRTC’s new contract, which includes zero tickets for women under the Mahalaxmi scheme, benefits Chalo Mobility by ensuring commission from ticket transactions.
Krishank raised questions on several alleged discrepancies and demanded answers from Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar.
He stated that the Letter of Intent indicated negotiations were held on March 4th, yet the government claimed that the previous tender was cancelled on February 29th.
“This raises questions about how TGSRTC could conclude its decision in just three days,” he added.
Krishank questioned the specifics of the delegation’s travel, including which states they visited and which officials they met, suggesting that the government had a pre-determined plan to award the contract to Chalo Mobility.
Further, Krishank questioned the tender process itself.
“While six companies competed in 2022, only three did so in 2024. Why was a global tender was not called for and why the Telangana State Technical Service, known for handling tenders and procurement, was not utilized?” he asked.
He also pointed out the ‘inconsistency’ in the government’s approach, noting that even minor contracts are handled through online procurement, while this significant contract was not.
Krishank also criticized the government’s ‘attempt’ to distance the Transport minister from the issue, stating that TGSRTC, as a corporation merged into the government, involves bureaucrats from the Finance Department on its Board of Directors.
He suggested that keeping such a major contract in the dark from the Board also raises suspicions.
Krishank concluded by urging the government to allow a BRS delegation to review the contract documents, bidders’ quotations, high-level committee reports, and travel itineraries to expose the alleged corruption.
He stressed the need for transparency and accountability in government actions, especially in schemes benefiting the public.
