New bus terminal at Uppal to be ready in 100 days

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is in the process of retrofitting 250 old diesel buses into electric vehicles in the first phase as part of its efforts to reduce emissions.

Speaking on Saturday (October 24, 2026) at the foundation-laying ceremony for a new bus terminal at Uppal Zonal Workshop, with an estimated cost of ₹3.22 crore, Mr. Ponnam Parbhakar, Minister of Transport and BC Welfare, said that the move was part of a larger push toward clean mobility. He added that 3,000 electric buses have already been added to the RTC fleet, and another 2,200 are expected to be inducted under the PM e-Drive initiative.

Touching upon the principal demand of TGSRTC workers and unions to merge the corporation with the government, he said that efforts toward this are underway. Following the recently held trade union elections after a gap of 10 years, a committee would be constituted with the elected recognised union to initiate the process, he added.

The Minister said the government was also in the process of addressing the issue of pensions of retired employees and clearing pending contributions relating to the CCS and provident fund in phases. Pay Revision Commission (PRC) recommendations had been implemented, and no DA was outstanding, he said.

Referring to the flagship Mahalakshmi scheme, Mr. Prabhakar said women had made several crore journeys free of cost under the scheme, resulting in substantial savings on travel expenses. The RTC was being developed with a focus on passenger convenience, employee welfare and the protection of the organisation, he said.

The proposed bus terminal at Uppal would have modern facilities to serve nearly one lakh passengers a day. About 1,053 bus trips originate from the location, with services connecting places such as Bhongir, Yadagirigutta, Hanamkonda and Warangal.

The terminal would serve the Peerzadiguda and Boduppal areas and be named accordingly, Mr Prabhakar said. The project is expected to be completed within 100 days.

Mr. Prabhakar also said the government was promoting electric vehicles through its EV policy, under which zero tax was applicable to eligible vehicles. An allocation of ₹200 crore has been earmarked for electric vehicles, including autos, in the Core Urban Region. Automated testing stations were also being established, while reflectors and a vehicle scrapping policy had been introduced to improve road safety.