Hyderabad: Tensions flared outside Bus Bhavan on Tuesday as student activists under the BRSV banner took to the streets demanding the rollback of recently hiked bus pass charges. Led by BRSV State president Gellu Srinivas Yadav, scores of students voiced their anger at the fare increase, arguing that it unfairly burdens already struggling families.
Police detained Gellu Srinivas Yadav along with vice-president Padala Satish, Kadari Swami Yadav, and several other BRSV cadres who joined the protest. The demonstration disrupted normalcy at the bus headquarters, highlighting growing frustration over the government’s recent fare policy.
Addressing the gathering before his arrest, Gellu Srinivas Yadav said that each student now faces an additional burden of Rs.250 to Rs.350—a cost that he claims did not exist under the previous KCR administration. “Students from poor families cannot bear this expense,” he said. “This is not the Telangana we fought for. We want the government to withdraw the fare hike immediately.”
He slammed the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government for its decision to provide free travel for women while failing to expand bus services or shield students from higher fares. “On one hand, they announce free rides for some. On the other, they put a burden on students by raising the charges. This is unfair,” Gellu Srinivas said.
The protest took a dramatic turn when BRS leader and MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha, founder president of Telangana Jagruti, arrived to join the demonstration. She attempted to block the entrance to Bus Bhavan, demanding an immediate rollback of the fare hike imposed by the TGSRTC management. However, police quickly intervened, arresting her on the spot.
Unfazed, Kavitha sat on the road in protest, denouncing the police action and drawing a large crowd of onlookers. The demonstration led to heavy traffic congestion in the area, underscoring the intensity of public sentiment on the issue.
