Hyderabad RTC Buses to Turn 100% Electric by December 9, Says CM Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced that the government plans to convert all Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses operating within Hyderabad into electric vehicles by December 9. The move is part of the state’s larger strategy to reduce pollution and make the city more environmentally friendly.

The Chief Minister made the announcement while speaking at an International Women’s Day event held at Jyotirao Phule Bhavan in Hyderabad. During the programme, he also honoured several women journalists for their contributions to the media.

Revanth Reddy said the government wants to ensure that Hyderabad does not face the serious urban problems seen in other major cities. He explained that many metropolitan cities are already struggling with different issues. For example, Mumbai often experiences severe disruptions due to heavy rainfall, Delhi faces serious air pollution, Bengaluru deals with heavy traffic congestion, and Chennai frequently suffers from flooding during the monsoon season.

He warned that Hyderabad’s Air Quality Index has already entered the orange category, which indicates moderate pollution levels. Because of this, the government is taking steps now to prevent the city from becoming unlivable in the future.

As part of the pollution control plan, the government will gradually replace diesel buses with electric buses in the city. Currently, around 2,800 diesel buses operate in Hyderabad, while about 500 electric buses have already been introduced. The government also plans to move diesel vehicles outside the Outer Ring Road before fully replacing them with electric buses.

To encourage the use of electric vehicles, the state government has introduced a zero tax policy for EVs. In addition, the government is working on a plan to convert nearly two lakh petrol and diesel auto-rickshaws into electric vehicles through a retrofitting programme.

The Chief Minister also said that single-use plastic will soon be completely banned in the city. Industries that cause high levels of pollution will be shifted outside the city limits to improve air quality.

Speaking about the state’s economic growth, Revanth Reddy said Telangana currently contributes around five percent to India’s GDP even though the state has only about 2.5 percent of the country’s population. The government has set a goal of turning Telangana into a one trillion dollar economy by 2034 and a three trillion dollar economy by 2047.

He added that women will play an important role in achieving these economic goals. During the event, the Chief Minister assured that the government will provide more recognition and support to women journalists. He said committees will be created in media organisations to ensure workplace safety for women.

Revanth Reddy also stressed that women should be given equal opportunities in all fields. He said that countries which have supported women’s economic participation have grown stronger economically. According to him, empowering women will help Telangana become one of the leading states in the country.

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