The story behind the ‘Z’ on Telangana RTC bus number plates

The ‘Z’ seen on many TGSRTC bus number plates has roots in Hyderabad’s Nizam-era transport system. The tradition dates back nearly a century, while TGSRTC also preserves a 1932 Albion bus believed to have belonged to the first fleet.

Hyderabad: Ever wondered why all the RTC buses have the alphabet ‘Z’ in their registration number plates?

Every day, thousands of commuters board RTC buses perhaps without giving much thought to the registration number displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle. But one letter appearing on many TGSRTC buses has a story rooted in the city’s public transport history.

---

Z’s association with RTC-owned buses dates back to the transport system established during the Nizam’s rule. The origins go back to June 1932, when the Nizam’s Road Transport was launched as part of the Nizam State Railways with a modest fleet of 27 buses and 166 employees. The service later became part of the Nizam’s State Rail and Road Transport Department (NSRRTD).

Historical accounts associate the use of ‘Z’ in vehicle registration with Zahra Begum, mother of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad. The convention continued through the transformation of the transport system after the Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union in 1948. It is said that when the Nizam handed over his supremacy to the Indian Government, one of the agreements he reached with the central government was that every RTC bus registration number should continue to include the letter ‘Z’.

For RTC buses, the humble ‘Z’ is not just a character on number plates, but comes with roots that stretch back to nearly a century. However, vehicles obtained from private operators on a hiring basis can have other letter combinations, including X, Y, W, UA and UB.

Nizam-era Albion bus: A cherished treasure

TGSRTC has a cherished treasure in the form of the Nizam-era Albion bus. The bus, manufactured by Albion Company of the United Kingdom, has been stationed outside the Bus Bhavan in Musheerabad for past several years.

Recently, the RTC Zonal Workshop staff at Uppal made a few modifications to the bus at Rs 3,000. However, no new items were added in the modification. RTC authorities said that, technology-wise, the new buses and this old bus are the same, but the new ones are of higher horsepower.

The Albion red-coloured bus is from the year 1932 and around 19 people, including the driver and conductor, can travel in it. It is credited with being part of the first fleet of 27 buses introduced by the Nizam State. The bus, with the destination ‘Nanded’ displayed prominently on the front, is a prized possession of the organisation.