Malappuram: The novel project offering a free ride for students in buses by Vengara Grama Panchayat in Malappuram, in association with Malappuram Motor Vehicle department, is becoming a hit among students. It is learnt that more panchayats across the state have also expressed interest in implementing the Vengara-model in their limits. The project is being implemented to encourage the use of public transport thereby reducing environmental pollution. At present a three-month project has been started on a pilot basis and the Grama Panchayat will bear a fixed amount of the road tax to be paid by the Bus operators to RTA quarterly based on a survey. From next academic year onwards, the Panchayat will implement radio frequency identification cards (RFID) which will help to record the exact details when swiping the card on a device handled by the conductor.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Vengara Grama Panchayat President V.K Kunhalan Kutty said that the number of students depending on public transport has increased after the implementation of the scheme. “The response is tremendous and we are planning to conduct a survey again to calculate the number of students using the free ride,” he said. He added that 16 more panchayats in the state have expressed interest in implementing the scheme. “It is with the encouragement of Malappuram RTO M.P Ajit Kumar we were able to launch the project,” he added. “It is a great project to encourage people to take up public transport system,” added Malappuram RTO M.P Ajit Kumar.
