RTC hike triggers passengers backlash/ Commuters fume over high cost and poor service

Commuters across Hyderabad reacted sharply to a steep hike in TGSRTC city bus fares, which came into effect Monday. With fares rising by Rs 5 to Rs 10, passengers say the hike burdens daily travel costs without improving services

Hyderabad: The steep increase in Hyderabad’s city bus fares, effective from Monday, has triggered a wave of frustration and financial concern among daily commuters, notwithstanding the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation’s (TGSRTC) claim that the hike is meant to fund green mobility.

The sharp fare hike, ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 10 on city services, came into effect on Monday just as post-Dasara festival crowds began streaming back into the city, making an already tiring journey even more costly.

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The hike drew immediate reactions at major terminals like MGBS, JBS, and Lingampalli, where long queues marked the morning rush. Many passengers returning from their native places found the fares unexpectedly higher than when they had left.

“We just came back from Karimnagar, and the city bus fare suddenly went up by Rs 10. It is unfair right after the holidays, but more importantly, it hits our monthly budget hard,” said Sravan, a private employee from Kukatpally.

The TGSRTC announced on Saturday that the minimum fare for Ordinary and Metro Express buses has been increased by Rs 5 for the initial stages and by Rs 10 from the fourth stage onwards. Compounding the financial burden, bus pass fares were also recently increased by Rs 150 to Rs 300 across all categories.

The cumulative effect of these hikes is placing significant stress on low and middle-income workers.

“I spend about Rs 100 daily on buses. Now it is Rs 120, which means an extra Rs 400 a month. For a factory worker like me, that money is a major cut into my savings for essentials,” lamented Raju, a factory worker from Balanagar.

While officials defended the fare hike as essential for maintaining operations and funding the new e-bus infrastructure, passengers argued that affordability should be the priority. Commuters also complained that overcrowding and delays persist despite the higher fares, leaving them with reduced service quality at increased cost.

For many city residents, Monday’s return to routine began not just with traffic and fatigue, but with the immediate challenge of affording costlier bus rides.