Hyderabad: Telangana is aiming to transition to 100% zero-emission transport within Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said on Thursday. He made the announcement during the 43rd Transport Development Council meeting held in New Delhi.
Speaking at the event chaired by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ponnam outlined the state’s sustainable transport roadmap. He said the EV-first approach would begin with electric buses inside the ORR, later expanding to taxis, auto-rickshaws and commercial fleets. Outside the ORR, Telangana plans to achieve at least 25% EV adoption.
EV policy drives sharp rise in electric mobility
According to the minister, the number of EVs in Telangana surged from 4,376 in 2020 to 2.58 lakh by 2025. He credited this growth to the state’s Electric Vehicle Policy introduced through GO 41 in November 2024.
Ponnam also highlighted the newly launched Vehicle Scrapping Policy – 2024, which mandates the scrapping of government vehicles older than 15 years. The policy includes tax exemptions and penalty waivers to encourage voluntary compliance. Private vehicle owners must pay a green tax to continue using older vehicles.
In a bid to modernise transport and improve road safety, Telangana plans to establish 37 Automated Testing Stations and AI-based driving test tracks. Other key initiatives include vehicle tracking devices in public transport for women’s and child safety, QR-coded reflective tapes, and centralized printing of licences and RC cards.
The minister also announced ANPR-based enforcement systems and AI tools to eliminate middlemen from RTOs. Under Vision 2047, Telangana is seeking Centre’s approval for Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTRs) and aims to train five lakh heavy vehicle drivers.
Plans were also announced for modern RTO offices, new bus terminals, truck parking hubs, and a proposed Centre for Excellence in Driving and Road Safety near Hyderabad.
The 43rd meeting of the Transport Development Council held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, along with Transport Ministers from all States and Union Territories.
From Telangana, I… pic.twitter.com/YYNjMhSuTc
— Ponnam Prabhakar (@Ponnam_INC) January 8, 2026