Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Hyderabad, Oct 9 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao, senior leader T Harish Rao and other leaders were put 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 outside the houses of Rama Rao, Harish Rao and other leaders since morning to prevent them from participating in the ‘Chalo Bus Bhawan’ programme.
Rama Rao, along with former ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Padma Rao and Sabita Indra Reddy, were scheduled to travel by RTC bus from Rethifile bus stop in Secunderabad to Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) bus building demanding immediate withdrawal of the increased fare.
Harish Rao along with some other leaders had to leave from Mehdipatnam bus stop and reach Bus Bhawan and submit a representation to the Managing Director of TGSRTC.
BRS said its leaders have been placed under house arrest. Police personnel were deployed outside the houses of KTR, Harish Rao, former ministers, BRS MLAs and MLCs.
KTR reacted strongly to the detention. They said they wanted to reach Bus Bhawan peacefully to demand its withdrawal.
“I just wanted to peacefully board an RTC bus, travel to the RTC MD office and submit a letter demanding rollback of the huge increase in bus ticket fares. Look at the number of police officers deployed outside my housing complex right now!! To stop a person from boarding the bus?! I wish the police would show the same level of enthusiasm to control the rising crime rate in Hyderabad,” KTR wrote on ‘X’. He posted pictures of police deployment outside his house.
The BRS leader said they would continue the protest. He said arrests were not a new thing for his party.
TGSRTC increases bus fares in Hyderabad from October 6. As per the new fare structure announced by TGSRTC, passengers traveling by City Ordinary, Metro Express, E-Ordinary and E-Express services will have to pay an additional Rs 5 for the first three phases and Rs 10 from the fourth phase. For Metro Deluxe and e-Metro AC services, the additional charges will be Rs 5 for the first phase and Rs 10 from the second phase.
The move is aimed at funding the expansion of electric bus infrastructure in the city.
KTR said that the decision to increase the city bus fee by Rs 10 at once is condemnable. 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 each passenger.
–IANS
ms/dpb