PNS|Hyderabad
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has hiked bus pass fares, with the increases ranging from Rs 75 to Rs 350.
The revised tariffs came into effect on June 9, and applies to students in both urban centres like Hyderabad and Warangal as well as district-level routes.
The fare revision was triggered by a recent directive from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which said that the TSRTC must now pay toll charges on National Highways.
This change has reportedly added an additional Rs 10 per km to TSRTC’s operational expenses. The TSRTC said that although the fare hike was unavoidable, it has been kept minimal, and bus passes remain heavily subsidised.
In the city route pass category (Hyderabad or Warangal), the monthly pass price for up to 4 km has been increased from Rs 150 to Rs 225.
The 8 km pass price has gone up from Rs 200 to Rs 300 (Rs 100 hike), and the 12 km pass from Rs 300 to Rs 450 (Rs 150 hike). For longer distances, like 18 km and 22 km, the fares have been revised from Rs 390 to Rs 585 and Rs 450 to Rs 675, respectively.
In district routes, the monthly pass price for up to 5 km has been increased from Rs 150 to Rs 225, and the price of the 10 km pass has been hiked from Rs 250 to Rs 375 (Rs 125 hike).
The 15 km and 20 km passes have gone up by Rs 150 and Rs 200 respectively, while the 25 km, 30 km, and 35 km passes have seen increases of Rs 225, Rs 250, and Rs 275 respectively.
General bus tickets have also been revised. The Student General Bus Ticket (SGBT) price in Hyderabad and Warangal has been increased from Rs 400 to Rs 600 (Rs 200 hike).
Monthly pass prices under the GBT (General Bus Ticket) category have also seen significant hikes.
The Ordinary pass now costs Rs 1,450, up from Rs 1,150 (Rs 300 hike), the Metro Express pass price has been increased from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,600 (Rs 300 hike), and the Metro Deluxe pass has gone from Rs 1,450 to Rs 1,800 (Rs 350 hike).
The TSRTC Managing Director, VC Sajjanar, acknowledged the burden on students and parents, but said the decision was essential to operate bus services.
