Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 9 : BRS Working President KT Rama Rao, along with other party leaders, on Thursday reached the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) Bus Bhavan in Hyderabad, demanding the immediate rollback of increased RTC bus fares.
The leaders submitted a representation to the TSRTC Managing Director.
Speaking to ANI, BRS leader Harish Rao said, "The Revanth Reddy government has increased the RTC fares five times in the last 20 months. On one hand, they provide free bus service to women, and on the other hand, they charge double the amount from men. What are the people gaining from this? RTC is working on privatising the public transport. Two days ago, the government got a loan of 1500 crore by privatising Jubilee and Hyderabad Bus Station."
"Revanth Reddy Government is trying to sell Miyapur and Uppal workshop, they are also trying to sell all assets of RTC by introducing Electric buses in the state. They are increasing charges in the name of festivals, toll tickets, and round-ups. Till yesterday, the ticket price was Rs 30 and today it has gone up to Rs 40," he said.
Meanwhile, Bharath Rashtra Samithi Working President KT Rama Rao on Thursday slammed the Telangana government over the RTC bus fare hike, stating that they do not know how to function the administration but to "run a circus".
Speaking to the media, KTR claimed that the BRS leaders were arrested across the state."This government doesn't know how to run a government. They only know how to run a circus. They put me under house arrest in the morning and let me go later. Now they have deployed police everywhere and are arresting our leaders. I don't understand what they are trying to do.
We express our sympathies with our police brothers who are suffering because of the government's silly decisions," KTR said.
The BRS leader accused the government of arresting people who are protesting democratically, stressing that it is the government's duty to bear the obligation of RTC loss rather than putting it on the common people."
People who are democratically protesting by sitting in a bus are being arrested... If their free bus service has resulted in losses to the exchequer, it is the obligation of the government to take up the loss and not push it on the common people," he said.
The BRS leaders were to hold a 'Chalo Bus Bhavan' protest against the recent RTC bus fare hike. Further, KT Rama Rao demanded the rollback of the fare hike, citing its impact on the lives of common people and the middle class."
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) had increased the minimum city bus fare by Rs 10 with effect from October 6. Passengers travelling by City Ordinary, Metro Express, E-Ordinary, and E-Express services will pay an additional Rs 5 for the first three stages and Rs 10 from the fourth stage onwards.