Kerala Government Introduces Free Bus Travel for Women Starting June 15
Free Bus Travel Initiative for Women in Kerala
The Kerala government has announced that starting June 15, all women in the state will be able to travel for free on the ordinary buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). Transport Minister C.P. John shared this information during a press conference, stating that the initiative will be available to all women without the need for any special card or certificate, and it will apply to all 3,125 ordinary buses in the KSRTC fleet. He emphasized that this decision marks a historic step towards providing free bus travel for women.
The launch of this initiative will take place at the Thampanoor bus station at 8:30 AM on June 15, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan officiating the event. The first bus under this scheme will be operated entirely by women, featuring a female staff. Discussing the financial implications, the minister acknowledged the significant financial responsibility involved but assured that KSRTC would not bear the entire burden alone. He mentioned that the daily cost is estimated to be around ₹2 crore, although the exact expenses will be clearer once ticket data is analyzed. The Chief Minister has promised special assistance to KSRTC, and efforts will be made to enhance revenue from sources other than ticket sales, with some sponsors already expressing interest in supporting the buses.
Minister John also highlighted the expansion of the 'Gramvandi' rural bus service, which currently operates 58 buses, with plans to increase this number to at least 500 soon. He noted that while this initiative may seem financially burdensome, it will ultimately benefit the overall economy. The money saved by women will likely be reinvested in other sectors, potentially increasing their disposable income by 15 to 25 percent. This initiative should not be viewed solely from a profit and loss perspective.
Currently, this scheme is limited to ordinary buses, but there are hopes to extend it to 'Gramvandi' services as well. The minister indicated that the rural transport network would also be included in this initiative. He stated that while the scheme is presently confined to ordinary buses, it may evolve in the future. Under the Gramvandi service, women will also be able to travel for free on ordinary buses. In the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, there are 687 ordinary buses, and it is anticipated that the number of female passengers will increase starting next week.