Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA T Harish Rao on Sunday, October 18, sought a rollback of fare hikes for special buses during festivals in Telangana.
Rao claimed that the increased fares were putting passengers under pressure. He accused the Telangana government of reducing regular bus services and charging exorbitant fares in the name of special services, without increasing the number of buses.
Addressing the media, the Siddipet MLA said, “A ticket from Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) to Karimnagar, which normally costs Rs 230, is now priced at Rs 400. Similarly, fares from Mahabubnagar to Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) rose from Rs 220 to over Rs 290”
Taking a dig at the Congress government, Rao questioned the logic behind offering free bus service to women and charging male passengers double the amount. The former Telangana finance minister said that the Congress government increased Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus fares five times in its three-year tenure.
Rao demanded that regular bus services be restored and that festival-related fare hikes be done away with to ensure affordable travel for passengers.
