Hyderabad: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Monday said Telangana is committed to becoming India’s leader in zero-emission mobility by 2047.
Speaking at the Telangana Rising Global Summit held in Bharat Future City, he said the state views clean transport as more than just a pollution control tool. It is also a foundation for improving public health, boosting energy efficiency, strengthening safety, ensuring economic stability, and building a sustainable future.
He declared that green mobility is not a political slogan but the very basis of Telangana’s future development plans. The state government, he added, is implementing wide-ranging policy incentives to ensure this transformation becomes reality.
Under Government Order 41, all electric vehicles registered in Telangana are exempt from road tax and registration fees until 31 December 2026. This 100 percent waiver has already led to a major increase in the number of electric vehicles on the roads.
In 2023, the share of electric vehicles in the state was just 0.60 percent. By 2025, this rose to 1.39 percent. According to the minister, the government provided financial incentives worth ₹806.85 crore to 1.59 lakh EV owners within just two years.
Scrappage policy and new testing stations accelerate EV adoption
Prabhakar also highlighted the state’s scrappage policy introduced in 2024. Designed to remove outdated vehicles from the roads, the policy offers multiple incentives. These include tax subsidies for new electric vehicles, green tax reductions, and full waivers on certain fines.
Three authorised scrappage centres are already operating in Telangana. Between 2024 and 2026, these centres have scrapped more than 5,400 vehicles.
In parallel, the government is improving the vehicle fitness verification process. To ensure transparency and accuracy, it has launched plans to establish 37 automated vehicle fitness testing stations across various districts.
Tenders for the first 15 stations have already been issued as part of the initial phase. These facilities will use automation to eliminate human error and increase the efficiency of testing procedures.
The minister also announced that the state government had granted 20,000 new auto-rickshaw permits in Hyderabad. This move aims to enhance last-mile connectivity through reliable and eco-friendly transport options.
He said these measures show the government’s long-term commitment to clean mobility and its readiness to invest in the infrastructure needed to support it. Telangana, he concluded, will play a central role in India’s transition to a green transport future.
