Free bus scheme for women begins; opposition boycotts event
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story linksThe Kerala government’s Priyadarshini free bus travel scheme for women and transgender persons was officially launched on Monday, June 15, with Chief Minister V D Satheesan flagging off a KSRTC bus operated by an all-women crew at the Thampanoor Bus Station in Thiruvananthapuram.Inaugurating the scheme, Chief Minister Satheesan said the initiative was a right, not a favour extended by the government. He added that the state was allocating Rs 800 crore annually for the scheme.Addressing concerns raised by private bus operators, the Chief Minister assured them that any losses suffered by the private sector due to the scheme would be compensated.The free travel initiative was one of the five Indira Guarantees promised by the Congress-led UDF during the Assembly election campaign. While the original promise envisaged free travel for women on all buses, the scheme currently offers free travel only on KSRTC’s ordinary services, including city ordinary, limited-stop, town-to-town, point-to-point and Gramavandi buses.However, questions have been raised about the scheme’s reach, as ordinary services are unevenly distributed across the state. According to available data, of the 3,125 KSRTC buses operating under the ordinary category, 687 are in Thiruvananthapuram district, 415 in Kollam and 325 in Ernakulam, while Malappuram has the fewest, with just 98 buses.The Chief Minister said the current rollout marks only the first phase of the programme and that more categories of buses would be brought under the scheme in the future.Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly opposed the scheme and announced that it would boycott the launch event, accusing the UDF government of diluting its poll promise.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also announced statewide protest marches on Monday, accusing the government of betraying women by failing to implement its promise of free travel across all KSRTC services.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links
THE Kerala government’s Priyadarshini free bus travel scheme for women and transgender persons was officially launched on Monday, June 15, with Chief Minister V D Satheesan flagging off a KSRTC bus operated by an all-women crew at the Thampanoor Bus Station in Thiruvananthapuram.
Inaugurating the scheme, Chief Minister Satheesan said the initiative was a right, not a favour extended by the government. He added that the state was allocating Rs 800 crore annually for the scheme.
Addressing concerns raised by private bus operators, the chief minister assured them that any losses suffered by the private sector due to the scheme would be compensated.
The free travel initiative was one of the five Indira Guarantees promised by the Congress-led UDF during the Assembly election campaign. While the original promise envisaged free travel for women on all buses, the scheme currently offers free travel only on KSRTC’s ordinary services, including city ordinary, limited-stop, town-to-town, point-to-point and Gramavandi buses.
However, questions have been raised about the scheme’s reach, as ordinary services are unevenly distributed across the state. According to available data, of the 3,125 KSRTC buses operating under the ordinary category, 687 are in Thiruvananthapuram district, 415 in Kollam and 325 in Ernakulam, while Malappuram has the fewest, with just 98 buses.
The chief minister said the current rollout marks only the first phase of the programme and that more categories of buses would be brought under the scheme in the future.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly opposed the scheme and announced that it would boycott the launch event, accusing the UDF government of diluting its poll promise.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also announced statewide protest marches on Monday, accusing the government of betraying women by failing to implement its promise of free travel across all KSRTC services.
