Hyderabad, May 31: Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Sunday announced that the proposed merger of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) with the state government would be taken up after the elections for the recognised trade union are completed.
Speaking to RTC employees and officials, the minister said the government would hold discussions with the elected trade union representatives before moving forward with the merger process. He assured employees that every precaution was being taken to ensure a smooth transition without any disputes or administrative hurdles.
Ponnam Prabhakar urged RTC employees not to entertain any apprehensions regarding the merger and assured them that all issues concerning their service conditions and welfare would be addressed by the government.
The minister recalled that under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, extensive discussions were held with five ministers, senior government officials, and representatives of RTC employees. These consultations resulted in the approval of an 11 per cent pay revision for RTC staff.
Later, accompanied by IT, Industries and Legislative Affairs Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu and Government Whip Vijaya Ramana Rao, Ponnam Prabhakar inspected the proposed site for the RTC bus depot at the Peddapalli district headquarters.
The Transport Minister said the government was taking steps to expedite the construction of the long-pending bus depot and assured that it would be inaugurated soon. He credited Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for sanctioning the depot following requests made by Minister Sridhar Babu and Government Whip Vijaya Ramana Rao.
Ponnam Prabhakar noted that although the project had faced delays in the past, efforts were now underway to accelerate construction and complete the facility at the earliest.
Highlighting the government’s focus on strengthening public transport, the minister said bus connectivity in rural areas would be significantly improved. He noted that demand for RTC services had increased substantially after the introduction of the free bus travel scheme for women.
To meet growing passenger demand, the minister said the process of procuring new RTC buses was already underway. He reiterated the government’s commitment to further strengthening TGSRTC and enhancing its role in Telangana’s public transport network.
