Telangana bus fare hike: BRS leaders placed under house arrest ahead of protest

Hyderabad, Oct 9 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao, senior leader T. Harish Rao, and other leaders were placed under house arrest on Thursday in view of the protest called by the party over the RTC bus fare hike in Hyderabad.

A large number of police personnel were deployed since early morning outside the houses of Rama Rao, Harish Rao and other leaders to prevent them from participating in the ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ programme.

Rama Rao, along with former Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Padma Rao and Sabitha Indra Reddy, were to travel by RTC bus from Rethifile Bus Stop in Secunderabad to Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) Bus Bhavan, demanding the immediate rollback of increased fares.

Harish Rao, along with some other leaders, was to leave from Mehdipatnam Bus Stop to reach Bus Bhavan and submit a representation to the TGSRTC Managing Director.

The BRS said its leaders were placed under house arrest. Police personnel were mobilised outside the houses of KTR, Harish Rao, former ministers, BRS MLAs and MLCs.

KTR reacted strongly to the house arrests. He said they wanted to peacefully reach Bus Bhavan to demand a rollback.

“All I wanted to do was board an RTC bus peacefully, travel to RTC MD office & submit a letter demanding roll back of steep hike in Bus ticket fares Look at the number of police officers deployed right now outside my housing complex!! All to prevent one person from boarding a Bus ?! Wish the police show the same level of enthusiasm about controlling the crime rate that is spiralling in Hyderabad,” KTR wrote on ‘X’. He posted pictures of police deployment outside his house.

The BRS leader said they would go ahead with the protest. He said the arrests were not new to their party.

TGSRTC increased bus fares in Hyderabad from October 6. As per the new fare structure announced by the TGSRTC, passengers travelling by City Ordinary, Metro Express, E-Ordinary and E-Express services will pay an additional Rs 5 for the first three stages and Rs 10 from the fourth stage onwards. For Metro Deluxe and E-Metro AC services, the additional charge will be Rs 5 for the first stage and Rs 10 from the second stage onwards.

The move is aimed at funding the expansion of electric bus infrastructure in the city.

KTR said that the decision to hike the city bus charges by Rs 10 at once is reprehensible. The BRS leader said that at a time when people are struggling with rising prices of essential commodities, an additional burden of Rs 500 per month has been imposed on every passenger.

--IANS

ms/dpb