Hyderabad: A dramatic late-night entry by Telangana commercial taxes department officials into a ‘disputed floor’ at Bus Bhavan in RTC X Roads has reignited tensions between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, once again bringing the unresolved division of RTC assets into sharp focus more than a decade after bifurcation. At the centre of the latest tension sits the fourth floor of the ‘A’ block at Bus Bhavan, a property currently under the control of APSRTC. Trouble began when the Telangana govt issued a communication permitting commercial taxes officials to occupy that very space. On the night of April 1, officials reportedly entered the premises, asserting their claim.The move triggered a swift response. By April 3, APSRTC officials had “re-secured” the fourth floor and locked it. In fact, sources indicate that APSRTC staff went a step further, taking control of the entire ‘A’ block—locking all floors and effectively sealing the building.Presently, around 15 APSRTC personnel continue to function from the ground floor of the ‘A’ block, managing bus services between Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad, while the upper floors remain locked.The Andhra Pradesh govt has written to its Telangana counterpart, urging it not to allocate space within Bus Bhavan to other departments until the asset-sharing process is conclusively settled. The APSRTC regional manager has also raised the matter with TGSRTC managing director Y Nagi Reddy, highlighting concerns over access and administrative control.Bus Bhavan, originally constructed as the headquarters of APSRTC, spans approximately 1.25 lakh square feet and is divided into ‘A’ and ‘B’ blocks across five floors. At the time of bifurcation, it was broadly agreed that the ‘A’ block would go to APSRTC, while the ‘B’ block would be allocated to TGSRTC.However, matters did not end there. An expert committee led by retired IAS officer Sheila Bhide, in its report submitted on Nov 2, 2018, classified Bus Bhavan as a common asset, with TGSRTC agreeing to treat it as a shared headquarters. APSRTC, however, maintains that no final and binding decision has yet been reached regarding asset division.Adding another layer to the issue, RTC unions in Telangana have taken a firm stance, arguing that the assets belong to the corporation itself rather than to either state govt. M. Thomas Reddy, vice-chairman of the TGSRTC Joint Action Committee, has emphasised that administrative authority should not override institutional ownership in the absence of a formal settlement. Union leaders have also criticised the Telangana govt for allowing commercial taxes offices—previously located in Panjagutta and Secunderabad—to be shifted into the ‘A’ block without APSRTC’s consent. Neither state can claim exclusive rights over Bus Bhavan until the dispute is resolved, they said.Amid the standoff, the TGSRTC JAC had announced a protest programme — ‘Bachao Bus Bhavan’ — on Tuesday, opposing the allocation. The protest, however, was called off after the block was reclaimed, with union leaders terming it a “victory” for RTC workers.
