Mini-buses in Old City from April: Minister

Hyderabad, March. 18 : Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy today said he would soon call a meting of legislators and TSRTC officials to strengthen the bus facility in the twin cities, particularly in Muslim-dominated old city area.

The Minister was reacting to MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi’s plea during question hour for plying mini-buses in adequate number to shift people from the old city. “I will call a meeting before completion of Assembly session to sort out the problem of transportation”, he said.

Earlier, Owaisi regretted that the government was not able to ply more number of buses in the old city. He also sought details of buses being operated and sought small buses so as to make it to narrow bylanes of old city areas. Mahender Reddy said mini-buses would be operated in the old city from next month. The RTC has ordered mini-buses, which will arrive next month, he added.

Akbaruddin also wanted Urdu boards on buses about the types of buses – air-conditioed, non-A/C, express, deluxe and ordinary and age of the buses and their working conditions. Stating that Setwin buses cannot be operated on the national highways, the Minister maintained that buses can be used for 15 years and then go for new buses to provide better transport facility to the people. Some 33 lakh people are traversing through the RTC whose occupancy rate was 69 per cent due to shortage of buses and staff.

The State government has allocated Rs 140 crore for TSRTC, which was trying to provide all facilities, bus shelters at major traffic points. Works will be completed on the completion of election code, he said and added that a bus depot will be constructed at Bharathnagar in three months and the government was taking all steps to improve its services at all levels.