TSRTC slaps diesel cess on passengers

Hyderabad: Due to hike in diesel prices, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) passengers travelling long-distance will now face additional burden, as the corporation has decided to collect diesel cess from Thursday.

The cess would be depending on the distance travelled. While in Express the cess would be Rs 5 to Rs 90 for 500 km. In Deluxe for 500 kms, the cess would be Rs 5 to Rs 125 and in Super Luxury the cess would be Rs 10 to Rs 130. In A/C services Rs 10 to Rs 170 for 500 kms.

TSRTC Chairman and MLA Baji Reddy Goverdhan said, "The minimum fare of Rs 10 in Pallevelugu and City Ordinary services will continue to be the same so as to not burden the common man and short distance passengers. The additional diesel cess will be as follows depending on the distance travelled by a passenger. The diesel cess in Greater Hyderabad limits is not increased, thus passengers travelling in city buses are not affected."

According to the Corporation, the buses use nearly 6 lakh litres of diesel each day and the price of bulk HSD oil which was Rs 84.75 per litre in December 2021 was increased to Rs 118.73 per litre in March 2022.

With effect from April 9, 2022, the Corporation has levied a nominal diesel cess of Rs 2 per ticket in Pallevelugu and City ordinary services and Rs 5 per ticket in all other services irrespective of distance travelled. The long and medium distance passengers who will be travelling for more distance will have to diesel cess as per the distance travelled. "With this, it has become inevitable to levy diesel cess which will be more for passengers travelling more distance in buses and less for passengers travelling for a short distance in RTC buses.

The Corporation will be implementing the diesel cess in slabs of Rs 5 and above depending on the distance travelled by the passengers, in all types of services in Districts and long-distance services," informed MD VC Sajjanar. Students will be obtaining subsidised bus passes from the Corporation for their journey to schools and colleges throughout the State. In view of the increased cost of diesel, it has been decided to increase the students bus pass fares in the twin cities and Rural areas of districts also," added Sajjanar.