TSRTC has rolled out new city bus rate fares in Hyderabad. City Ordinary/Sub-Urban, Metro Express and Metro Deluxe rates have been hiked.

Safety Cess has been introduced. Fares have been rounded off to the multiple of Rs 5. For example, Metro Express fare for 6 km used to cost Rs 15 previously. It now costs Rs 20. There is a fare hike of Rs 5 across categories for bus commutes that involve more than 5 km. For ordinary buses, it is 10 km or more.

Reporter Donita Jose has called the hikes irrational. "With this new TSRTC fare hike, it is wiser to switch to the metro as it's faster, reliable, and has AC. On a route, I frequent, Metro is now only Rs 2 more than RTC's ordinary service. Irrational hikes. What's worse? This was done in a clandestine manner with the media not even informed about it! So bizarre a way to bring in a new cess," she tweeted.