TGSRTC strike causes Rs 35 crore loss, services resume in Telangana

A three-day strike by TGSRTC workers caused an estimated Rs 35 crore loss, severely disrupting bus services across Telangana. Commuters faced hardship as services halted, while the corporation now focuses on restoring operations and regaining passenger confidence.

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is assessing the financial and operational impact of the three-day indefinite strike by its workers, with preliminary estimates reportedly indicating a revenue loss of nearly Rs 35 crore.

According to sources, the corporation lost about Rs 10 to Rs 12 crore per day as bus services remained off the roads in Hyderabad region and across Telangana during the strike period. Though the RTC tried to operate electric buses and hired buses, they were of not much help.

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The agitation began at midnight on April 21, bringing public transport to a near standstill, and continued until midnight on April 24, when employee unions called it off following successful talks with the State government.

The strike disrupted thousands of scheduled services, impacting both urban and rural routes. In Hyderabad and other major towns, commuters faced significant hardship, with many forced to rely on private vehicles, auto-rickshaws and app-based cabs that charged high fares due to increased demand. In rural areas, the absence of RTC buses particularly impacted daily wage workers, students and patients who depend heavily on affordable public transport.

Officials noted that the losses were not limited to ticket revenue alone. The shutdown also impacted advance reservations, cargo and parcel services and pass-based travel segments.

With services gradually returning to normal from Saturday morning, the RTC management has now shifted focus to crisis management and recovery. Measures under consideration include increasing fleet utilisation, improving service frequency on high-demand routes, and attracting passengers back through reliability and punctuality.

Meanwhile, staff at bus depots were reportedly instructed to ensure quick mobilisation of buses and crews to avoid further inconvenience to passengers.