HYDERABADThe Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has intensified its protest against the steep increase in TGSRTC city bus fares. Party leaders led by its working president K.T. Rama Rao travelled in RTC buses to the Bus Bhavan from different places in the city on Thursday to meet the Managing Director of the Corporation with the rollback demand.In a memorandum submitted to Vice Chairman and MD of TGSRTC Y. Nagi Reddy here on Thursday, Mr. Rama Rao demanded an immediate withdrawal of the increased fares. He urged the Congress Government to rollback the fare hike, stating that it had burdened citizens of Hyderabad heavily. He further wanted the government to resolve the RTC’s core problems and urgently fulfil the promises made to its employees.Alleging that the city bus fare hike was a deliberate attempt by the Congress Government as part of its plans to privatise the public transport corporation, Mr. Rama Rao said the larger plan was to monetise the assets of TGSRTC, mainly land. He asserted that the government was actively trying to cripple the RTC financially.When the BRS leaders sought to know the status of dues from the government to the Corporation during their meeting with the RTC MD, the latter informed them that ₹1,353 crore related to the Mahalakshmi free bus scheme was pending. The BRS leaders, in turn, stated that the previous (BRS) government had released ₹9,246 crore as a grant to the RTC.Before the BRS leaders travelled to the RTC headquarters (Bus Bhavan) in RTC buses from different places interacting with passengers about the fare hike, heavy police deployment was made at the residences of key party leaders, including MLAs and others, preventing them from coming out, but relented later.Speaking to the media, after meeting the RTC MD, Mr. Rama Rao questioned the rationale behind the hike and said they welcome the free bus travel for women but the number of buses must be increased. The RTC was collecting double the fare from men to offset the free travel for women. It was cruel to give free service with one hand and increase the ticket price with the other, he remarked. Mr. Harish Rao said the government had increased bus fares 5 times during the last 22 months.Senior leaders of the party T. Harish Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, T. Padma Rao Goud, P. Sabitha Indra Reddy, K.P. Vivekanand, D. Sudheer Reddy and others travelled from different places to the Bus Bhavan, where they were arrested with only a few of them getting permission to meet the MD. Published - October 09, 2025 09:30 pm IST