Telangana prioritises public transport and EV mobility at summit

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnan Prabhakar on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) said that public transport and electric-vehicle mobility are the core of Telangana’s urban transport strategy, even as he underscored the State’s policy vis-a-vis transport and milestones, as he inaugurated the Second National Mobility Summit 2026 at HICC Novotel.

Mr Prabhakar said that the government is prioritising the strengthening of bus services, metro, and last-mile connectivity. Reliable public transport, he said, was essential to reducing congestion and improving productivity in rapidly expanding cities.

Highlighting the State’s push towards cleaner mobility, he said that Telangana had taken a host of measures to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. The government has extended a 100% exemption on road tax and registration charges for electric vehicles until the end of 2026, without any cap on volumes. These incentives, he noted, had already translated into benefits worth nearly ₹1,000 crore for EV buyers and contributed to increased adoption across vehicle segments.

Focusing on last-mile connectivity, the Minister said the government was promoting cleaner alternatives such as electric and gas-based autorickshaws. Telangana has permitted 20,000 new electric three-wheelers, alongside approvals for 10,000 CNG and 10,000 LPG autorickshaws. In addition, 20,000 permits have been granted to convert existing autorickshaws into electric vehicles.

Electrification of public transport has emerged as a key priority. As of early 2026, over 325 electric buses are operating in the city limits, he said. The government aims to scale this up significantly, with a target of deploying nearly 2,800 electric buses in the Hyderabad Outer Ring Road region by 2027.

Mr Prabhakar said investments were also being made in supporting infrastructure and green energy adoption, with the broader objective of reducing emissions and improving urban air quality.