Harish Rao demands rollback of festival bus fare hikes

BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao urged the Congress government to withdraw fare hikes on special Bathukamma and Dasara buses. He alleged that reduced regular services and higher fares were burdening families travelling to their native places for festivals.

Hyderabad: BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao demanded that the Congress government withdraw steep fare hikes on special buses operated during Bathukamma and Dasara. He said the increased charges were placing an undue burden on poor and middle-class families, making them fear travelling to their native places to celebrate festivals.

Citing examples, Harish Rao accused the government of reducing regular bus services and charging exorbitant fares in the name of special services, without increasing the number of buses. “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,” he said.

---

He questioned the rationale of offering free bus travel to women while charging men double fares, asking whether the concession merely shifted the financial burden onto the same families. “Is this your people’s governance?” he asked, charging the government with offering free travel with one hand while imposing steep charges with the other.

Harish Rao stated that the Congress government increased RTC fares five times in nearly three years and was now exploiting the festive rush. He demanded that regular services be restored and festival-related fare hikes withdrawn to ensure affordable travel for people visiting their native places.