Hyderabad, April 19: Hyderabad free MMTS travel may begin from June 2 as the Telangana government is reportedly planning a pilot scheme to boost public transport usage.
The proposal aims to offer free travel on the city’s Multi-Modal Transport System trains for all passengers. The plan is expected to be implemented for one year on a trial basis.
Hyderabad Free MMTS Travel to Boost Ridership
According to reports, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has approved the initiative. The government is likely to compensate South Central Railway for annual ticket revenue, estimated at around Rs 10 crore.
The proposal was discussed during a coordination meeting between Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao and SCR General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava at Rail Nilayam on April 16.
At present, MMTS carries around 38,000 to 42,000 passengers daily. This is significantly lower than pre pandemic levels of over 1.2 lakh commuters. Currently, about 80 to 88 train services are running, compared to 121 earlier.
Officials from the Municipal Administration department have also requested improved train frequency, punctuality, and better station facilities. Plans include last mile connectivity through shuttle services by Telangana State Road Transport Corporation.
Railway authorities have asked the state to submit a draft MoU for approval by the Railway Board. They clarified that train operations will remain under their control.
SCR also pointed out pending dues of Rs 491.45 crore related to MMTS Phase 2 and asked the state to clear them.
Earlier, the Chief Minister reviewed MMTS performance and expressed concern over falling ridership. He directed officials to increase train frequency during peak hours and improve connectivity to stations.
The proposed free travel scheme is expected to encourage commuters to shift towards public transport and revive MMTS usage in Hyderabad.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
