Syed Nizamuddin re-elected as TSCBOA President, secures key transport reforms

Hyderabad: Syed Nizamuddin was unanimously re-elected as President of the Telangana State Cabs & Bus Operators Association (TSCBOA) on Saturday. Members from across the state praised his role in solving key challenges faced by private transporters.

After his re-election, Nizamuddin credited the progress to collective efforts by TSCBOA and the Telangana Tours & Travels Bus Owners Association (TTTBOA), led by K. Gopal Reddy. Together, both bodies pushed for fairer tax rules and smoother coordination across districts.

Syed Nizamuddin re-elected TSCBOA head, praised for policy wins

One major success was the move to rationalise District Tax. Telangana’s district count rose from 10 to 33 after 2014. This change created confusion and heavy penalties for operators—especially in and around Hyderabad—who often crossed into multiple districts during short trips. In many cases, a basic route involving a U-turn triggered multiple tax charges.

In December 2023, after the Congress government came to power, the associations urged the state to fix the issue. They proposed treating the entire Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) area as a single zone. The government responded by forming a review committee. Discussions are now underway to simplify short-distance tax rules.

Nizamuddin also focused on the issue of Telangana’s exclusion from a key Reciprocal Transport Agreement. Until 2017, the state was part of a pact with Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. When the agreement lapsed, Telangana operators had to pay border taxes, which increased costs and slowed inter-state travel.

Thanks to repeated petitions, the state government formed another committee to examine the matter. Following these efforts, Karnataka has agreed to sign a new reciprocal agreement with Telangana. This move is expected to boost tourism and cut costs for operators.

Nizamuddin pledged to keep pushing for transport reforms. “We must stay united and keep talking to the government if we want lasting changes,” he said.

Members of the association backed his leadership. They said he had united different transport bodies under a shared mission and had delivered results. Many expressed confidence that he would continue to defend the rights and interests of private operators in Telangana.