NAVEENA GHANATE
naveena.ghanate@gmail.com
Hyderabad
In Telangana, 2025 has been a year of unrelenting price hikes, with the government hiking rates across multiple sectors, from TGSRTC passes and Metro fares to temple tickets, dairy prices, liquor rates, and is now preparing the ground for hiking land registration values. With each hike, the burden on the common man continues to rise.
On June 9, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) hiked monthly bus-pass fares by 20 to 30 per cent. Ordinary passes now cost Rs 1,400 (up from Rs 1,150), while Metro Express and Metro Deluxe passes rose to Rs 1,600 and Rs 1,800 respectively. Student passes, too, were hiked. The TGSRTC attributed the hike to toll charges and operational expenses.
Before that, the Hyderabad Metro Rail implemented its first fare hike. On May 17, the new Metro fares came into effect, increasing the minimum fare from Rs 10 to Rs 12, and the maximum fare from Rs 60 to Rs 75. Following public outrage, a 10 per cent discount on all fares was temporarily introduced from May 24.
In April, the Vijaya Dairy hiked buffalo milk price by Rs 3, but reduced the price of cow milk by Rs 3. Buffalo milk is consumed more in Telangana.
The Telangana State Dairy Development Co-Operative Federation Limited attributed this to the need to recover losses as the state offers the highest procurement rate to farmers.
Liquor prices also saw a hike. On February 11, the Telangana Government authorised a 15% hike in beer prices. On May 18, another circular increased the rates of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) to Rs 10 per quarter bottle, Rs 20 per half bottle, and Rs 40 per full bottle, adding up to an estimated Rs 170 crore in monthly excise revenue.
The state is now reviewing proposals to increase land registration market values in July. If implemented, this will significantly raise the cost of property transactions through higher stamp duty and registration charges.
Meanwhile, on June 13, the Yadagirigutta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple increased its special darshan ticket price from Rs 800 to Rs 1,000. Earlier, only Puja Samagri was provided, now with the increased rate, Swamy’s Shesha Vastralu and Satyanarayana Swamy idol will also be provided. Cooking gas became costlier after the Centre’s announcement of a Rs 50 increase in domestic LPG cylinder rates in April. Although the hike was implemented nationwide, it contributed to greater sense financial pressure among Telangana households.
Food prices have added to the burden. Chicken prices rose steeply by Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kilogram in May and June, with broiler chicken prices hitting Rs 280 per kilogram in Hyderabad.
With hikes hitting essentials like transport, milk, cooking gas, temple visits, alcohol and real estate, citizens are left recalculating their monthly expenses.
