Telangana to Decide on Auto Fare Revision Soon, Says Minister Ponnam Prabhakar

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar announced on Tuesday that the Telangana government would soon decide on the long-pending demand to revise autorickshaw fares, which have remained unchanged since 2012.

Speaking to the media at Bus Bhavan in Hyderabad, the Minister outlined key measures and achievements concerning the Transport department and the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC). He stated that a dedicated welfare board for autorickshaw workers would be established shortly.

To support drivers in Hyderabad, the government will provide financial assistance of ₹1.5 lakh for retrofitting petrol and diesel autorickshaws. The Minister also noted that proposals are under consideration to bring bike taxis into a formal regulatory framework using commercial yellow number plates.

Highlighting the impact of state transport initiatives, Mr. Prabhakar said that 347.36 crore women have utilised free bus travel under the Mahalakshmi scheme, resulting in an estimated total savings of ₹12,167 crore for passengers. Following these measures, TGSRTC bus occupancy increased from 67 percent to 89 percent.

The public transport fleet has been expanded with 2,932 new buses, including 1,024 electric vehicles currently in service. An additional 2,200 electric buses are scheduled to be deployed in the Greater Hyderabad Zone. The corporation is also operating on 370 new routes across the city to extend coverage to previously unserved areas.

Regarding workforce matters, Mr. Prabhakar confirmed that recruitment notifications have been issued for 4,538 posts. The hiring process for 1,000 drivers and 743 worker positions has been completed, while approval has been granted to recruit 1,500 conductors. He added that union elections would be conducted before completing the RTC employee merger process, noting that two PRCs and five DAs have been provided with no outstanding arrears.