BRS’ ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ tomorrow to mount pressure on govt over fare hike in city

As part of cornering the Congress government over the bus fare hike, the BRS party has given a call for ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ on Thursday and also demanded immediate withdrawal of the hike.

Addressing a press conference here at Telangana Bhavan, party MLA Talasani Srinivas Yadav said that their party has decided to put pressure on the government by including all the passengers and people. The government announced free bus services for women but increased the fares for their family members. There was never Rs 10 hike in the past. It will be a huge burden on the poor. Many people cannot travel in autos and cars spending a lot of money and the fare hike will be a burden for such people. “In many countries, buses are free. In our state, the buses are free for women and double fares for their family members,” said Srinivas Yadav. RTC has a good reputation in the country in terms of safety and the accidents rate is also low in RTC.

The BRS leader recalled that when KCR was the Chief Minister, the cabinet decided to merge RTC with the government and it was sent to the Governor.

At the same time, elections were held. After the Congress party came to power, they said that they would regularize the services of staff and merge them with the government and announced giving PRC. But today, the Gowliguda Bus stand has already been given to the private sector, and efforts are being made to give other bus stands to the private sector, alleged Srinivas Yadav, asking all RTC employees to wake up or the company will go into the hands of private individuals.

Yadav said, “We will accept the innovative programs of the BRS party to save the RTC. We will travel by bus on different routes. Leaders including KTR, former minister MLA Harish Rao, Sabita Indra Reddy, Padma Rao and Mutha Gopal, reach the Bus Bhavan and submit a petition to the RTC MD.” Electric buses should not be given to private companies, but RTC employees should be trained for electric buses and they should drive them. Conspiracies are afoot to privatize the RTC, said Yadav.