Hyderabad: After crossing a milestone of issuing over 200 crore zero-fare tickets under the Mahalakshmi scheme, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) announced plans to add 1,000 new buses to its fleet in the next two months. Of these, 500 buses are expected to support the scheme.On Wednesday, TGSRTC marked the scheme’s milestone with state-wide events. Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday said: “As many as 2,400 buses were purchased since the new govt took office. About 2,800 electric buses will be procured to reduce pollution in Hyderabad.”Currently, 11% of the TSRTC fleet comprises electric buses.Furthermore, transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar said new buses are being procured and staff appointments are being made in response to increased passenger traffic. “The focus remains on improving services for passengers and ensuring employee welfare,” the minister said. According to TGSRTC managing director VC Sajjanar, the Mahalakshmi scheme is being implemented in 7,913 of the 9,703 buses, with around 35 lakh women using the service daily. He noted that the corporation’s occupancy ratio rose from 69% in Nov 2023 to 97% in June 2025.According to the officials, daily ridership increased to 60.08 lakh passengers, up from 45.49 lakh before the scheme’s launch. The proportion of women passengers also increased from 40% to 66.74%, with around 8 lakh women benefiting in Hyderabad alone.
