In a major step towards modernizing public transportation, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar launched 50 electric buses under the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) at an event held at Hayagriva Ground in Hanumakonda. A total of 112 electric buses have been allocated for the Warangal district, with the first phase seeing the launch of these 50 buses today. Along with Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Konda Surekha were present for the inauguration.
Minister Ponnam also announced that an additional 25 electric buses would be introduced before the Sankranti festival, with the remaining buses to be deployed shortly after. This initiative is part of the government's larger plan to expand eco-friendly public transportation options across the state.
During his speech, Ponnam highlighted several significant achievements of the current government, including the introduction of free bus travel for women within just 48 hours of taking office. This initiative has benefitted over 125 crore women, enabling them to travel for free, contributing to an estimated ₹4350 crore in free travel value. He also emphasized that the occupancy rate of RTC buses has doubled, thanks to the continuous efforts and hard work of RTC employees.
Further recognizing the dedication of RTC workers, the minister spoke about the "Bus Ka Paye Nayi Cheliy" movement, which was crucial in the growth of the RTC in Telangana. He reminded the crowd of the support provided to employees, such as the 2013 bond issuance and a 21% PRC increase. Additionally, Ponnam assured that the government is addressing RTC employees' concerns and that 3,000 new jobs would be created within the organization.
Ponnam also took the opportunity to mention that Telangana has already started operating electric buses in Hyderabad, Karimnagar, and Nizamabad, with plans to introduce a total of 1,000 electric buses across the state. He assured that the RTC would be purchasing an additional 1,000 buses in the near future to further strengthen its fleet.
