25 Lakh Women to Benefit Daily from Free Bus Ride in AP
Though the state is facing a financial crunch, the government is prepared to incur an expense of Rs 1950 crore to run the scheme successfully.
Visakhapatnam: Around 25 lakh women would benefit daily from the free travel facility being introduced in state transport buses from August 15 this year.
After a study of a similar system in Telangana and Karnataka, the AP government is keen on implementing this as part of the TD-led alliance’s 'Super Six’ offer to the electorate in the 2024 polls.
Though the state is facing a financial crunch, the government is prepared to incur an expense of Rs 1950 crore to run the scheme successfully.
Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu recently said 2,536 additional buses were required for the free travel scheme, which would be purchased at a cost of Rs 996 crore. As per the scheme, women and transgenders can travel free on Palle Velugu, Ultra Palle Velugu, City Ordinary, Express and Metro Express buses by producing their Aadhar, Voter ID or ration card as proof of local residency.
The scheme would initially involve around 6,700 buses, roughly 74 per cent of the state's fleet.
The government is in the process of procuring 3,000 electric buses this year, with plans to add another 1,400 over the next two years. Additional drivers and mechanics would be recruited to handle the anticipated rise in demand, transport minister Ram Prasad Reddy told the media recently.
“Women street vendors benefited the most by travelling all over the Hyderabad city to sell their goods,’’ said a Telangana Congress leader.
In Karnataka, around 474.82 crore women travelled free by bus under a scheme called Shakti between June 11, 2023 and June 10, 2025.
Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said since the launch of the scheme till November 2024, a payment of Rs 6,543 crore was done to the four state transport corporations. In the first two years, the Shakti scheme cost the Karnataka government Rs 8,481.68 crore.
Meanwhile, auto drivers staged a dharna in Visakhapatnam asking the government to compensate for the likely loss of income due to the free bus ride in AP.
“On average, a driver will lose 50 per cent of his income once the free travel scheme is rolled out. A driver earns around Rs 500 a day. Viakhapatnam district alone has 45,000 autorickshaws,’’ said CITU leader Satyanarayana Rao, who sought subsidy on fuel used by auto rickshaws.
