2 min readHyderabadApr 25, 2026 04:27 AM ISTSeveral RTC services in the country are run by state governments. Telangana will become one among the many southern state road transport corporations to merge with the government. RTCs in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are already part of the government rolls.The death of a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) driver in Warangal on Friday intensified protests across Telangana, leaving bus services largely paralysed for a third day.The driver, who had set himself on fire amid the agitation, succumbed to injuries Friday morning, triggering wider unrest. The strike, called by the TGSRTC Joint Action Committee (JAC), has seen employees boycott duties, keeping thousands of buses off the roads.Scores of transport officials sat on dharna across Telangana. In Hyderabad, services remained suspended at key hubs such as Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station and Jubilee Bus Station, with police deployed to maintain order.Also Read | The bus driver everyone loved: TGSRTC employee’s death leaves family with no home, no incomeAuthorities pressed about 1,000 buses — including 450 electric ones — into service through outsourcing. The corporation runs over 9,300 buses statewide, including about 3,300 hired vehicles; in Hyderabad alone, around 3,000 buses ferry nearly 26 lakh passengers daily.The RTC employees have been asking Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to fulfil election promises including pay revision, job security and payment of salary dues.Also Read | Telangana driver’s suicide escalates transport corporation strike, putting heat on Revanth Reddy governmentAs protests intensified Thursday, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy held a Cabinet meeting to discuss the protests.After the meeting, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said: “The RTC workers have the right to protest and express their dissent. But our request to them is not to take their own lives”. Minister D Sridhar Babu said, “Every life is valuable and the government is keenly trying to address the concerns of striking employees. We request all employees to exercise restraint”.Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... 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