Mini-Buses In Old City From April

Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy today said that he would soon call a meeting of legislators and TSRTC officials to strengthen the bus network in the twin cities, particularly in the 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 numbers to transport people to and from Old City.

"I will call a meeting before the completion of the Assembly session to sort out the problem of transportation," he said.

Owaisi had earlier complained that the government was plying enough buses in Old City. He also sought the details of the buses being operated in the area, and asked for small buses that could travel through the narrow bylanes of the Old City areas.

Owaisi also wanted an Urdu board on each buses mentioning the type of bus - AC, non-AC, express, deluxe and ordinary - the age of the bus, and its working condition.

Responding to that, Mahender Reddy said that the RTC had ordered mini-buses which would arrive next month, and they would then be operated in Old City. He said that Setwin buses could not be operated on national highways.

Some 33 lakh people were traveling through the RTC whose occupancy rate was 69%, he informed the house. The state government had allocated Rs 140 crores for the TSRTC, which was trying to provide all necessary commuter-friendly facilities including bus shelters at major traffic points. Works would be completed upon the completion of election code, he said.

He added that a bus depot would be constructed at Bharathnagar in three months.