Later, the leaders took part in the protest and travelled to the protest site on buses. KTR demanded an immediate reduction in the increased charges.
Published Oct 09, 2025 | 11:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 09, 2025 | 11:19 AM
KTR on a TGSRTC bus protesting against the fare hike.
Synopsis: The Telangana police placed BRS leaders, including working president KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, under house arrest ahead of their Bus Bhavan Chalo protest in Hyderabad. The protest was announced after the TGSRTC hiked its fares by ₹5 and ₹10.
The Telangana police on Thursday, 9 October, placed BRS leaders, including working president KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, under house arrest ahead of their Bus Bhavan Chalo protest in Hyderabad.
“It is extremely wicked to put former ministers, MLAs and other public representatives under house arrest everywhere,” said Harish Rao, who represents Siddipet in the state Assembly.
Quthbullapur MLA Vivekananda Goud, MLC Shambirpur Raju, MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy, BRS leader Sai Baba, and several others were also placed under house arrest.
Later, the leaders took part in the protest and travelled to the protest site on buses. Rama Rao (KTR) demanded an immediate reduction in the increased charges.
“The state government is portraying free buses to women as a great move. We welcome it. However, even women are unable to get a seat on these buses. Increase the number of buses. You can’t say the bus is free for women and increase the prices for men and students, won’t that burden the family?” KTR asked.
The protest was announced after the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) hiked its fares by ₹5 and ₹10, depending on the number of stops.
Despite the police presence, KTR departed from Rathifile Bus Station in Secunderabad to Bus Bhavan and T Harish Rao is expected to reach the venue via bus from Mehdipatnam.
The protest has been planned as a demonstration in front of the Bus Bhavan at RTC X Roads, where major leaders, including KTR, Harish Rao, and others, would arrive by bus.
Meanwhile, Harish Rao slammed the Congress-led state government over the house arrest of BRS leaders.
“If the BRS party calls for ‘Chalo Bus Bhavan’ to protest against the hike in RTC ticket prices, it is extremely wicked to put former ministers, MLAs and other public representatives under house arrest everywhere,” he said.
“Revanth Reddy is sucking the blood of the people by increasing vehicle lifetime taxes and registration charges. He has stopped the Metro Rail. Is there no right to protest peacefully under the Congress rule? Is this Indira’s Rajya? Emergency rule? Is this public rule or public oppression? It is as if Revanth Reddy has said that no one should ask him what he does.”
“He is running a demonic rule called democratic rule. Constitutional protection in words, constitutional destruction in deeds?” Harish Rao asked.
KTR responded to the police deployment and took a dig at the Congress. “This is not ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’, this is a mark of the emergency”, he quipped.
“All I wanted to do is board an RTC bus peacefully, travel to RTC MD office & submit a letter demanding roll back of steep hike in Bus ticket fares. Look at the number of police officers deployed right now outside my housing complex!! All to prevent one person from boarding a Bus ?! Wish the police show the same level of enthusiasm about controlling the crime rate that is spiralling in Hyderabad,” he wrote on X.
MLAs Sabitha Indra Reddy, Devireddy Sudheer Reddy and MLC Surabhi Vani Devi took part in the protest by travelling on the TGSRTC bus to the protest location.
The TGSRTC increased city bus fares from Monday, citing a “green tax” aimed at raising funds to replace around 2,800 diesel buses with electric ones.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Saicharan Sana.)
