Hyderabad: Ganesh processions put transport fleets under pressure

With Ganesh Chaturthi approaching, thousands of transport vehicles are being mobilised across Hyderabad for idol immersion. However, operators say fixed RTA tariffs, rising fuel costs and low payouts from committees are putting heavy financial pressure on the transport industry.

Hyderabad: With just a week left before the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, spotting towering Ganesh idols ensconced on massive trailers and heavy-duty trucks has become a common sight in Hyderabad. However, beneath the veneer of the festivities, the massive interstate logistics operation that transport drivers rely on is literally running on fumes.

As Hyderabad gears up for the grand Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 transport vehicles, ranging from heavy-duty trailers and tuskers to light carrier vans, are being readied to serve as the chariots carrying the towering idols to immersion sites.

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The heavy vehicle operators are grappling with mounting financial strain due to strict Regional Transport Authority tariff caps and meager payouts from local committees.

Private transport operators have said that service charges fixed by the RTA have left them under immense economic pressure, as payments from Ganesh Utsav committees often fail to cover escalating fuel and cabin crew expenses.

To manage the massive logistics, the RTA structured hire tariffs for the idol immersion processions, setting charges for trailers or tuskers at Rs 33,000, inclusive of fuel and batta.

Large goods vehicle tuskers with 12 tires are priced at Rs 4,500, excluding fuel but including a Rs 500 driver and cleaner batta, while six-tire HGVs cost Rs 3,000 excluding fuel.

The tariff further drops to Rs 2,000 for medium goods vehicles, Rs 1,500 for light goods vehicles, and Rs 1,000 for compact carriers like Tata Ace vehicles.

Operators note that the demand for transport fleets has surged this year due to recent administrative changes. Following the Telangana government’s restructuring, which trifurcated the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation into the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation, Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation, and a restructured GHMC, the number of civic wards and administrative zones has significantly expanded.

To meet this larger footprint, transport networks have sourced additional heavy vehicles from neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to support the festive processions.

Industry stakeholders describe the festival as a monumental economic engine that generates vital seasonal employment for hundreds of thousands of workers, bridging the gap between meticulous idol artisans and interstate transport laborers.

Recognizing the immense logistical effort, both the Telangana Transport Department and local police have coordinated a comprehensive deployment plan to ensure smooth, well-regulated vehicle staging across all expanded municipal zones for the annual immersion events.