All opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh condemned the fare hike by APSRTC that came into force from today. Activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged dharnas across Andhra Pradesh protesting the hike of APSRTC fares. The CPM alleged that it was an Amaravati hike and people begin to feel Amaravati burden.

” The TDP government is putting the burden on the people of the state by hiking bus fare to mobilize money to cover the extravagant expenditure made on the ceremony of Amaravati,” the CPM leaders said.

Congress president N Raghuvira Reddy , questioning rationale of the hike of bus fare demanded that the fare-hike be withdrawn immediately. He reminded Naidu’s poll promise that he would not hike RTC bus fare if come to power for five years. ” The fare hike is baseless. The government is resorting to fare hike even though the petrol and diesel prices are low. The hike is not acceptable and should be rolled back,” he demanded. YSR Congress senior leader Tammineni Sitaram said the TDP government had made even the bus travel ill-affordable for the poor of the state.

Reacting on the RTC decision to the hike bus charges, Sitaram said the price hike when the diesel rate are lowest was no way justifiable. ” This move indirectly helps the private operators as it would force the ordinary people to prefer private buses for APSRTC, ” he said.