Tenders called; pilot projects scheduled to begin from mid-March
Hyderabad: The Telangana government is set to introduce chip-based smart cards for beneficiaries of the Mahalakshmi free bus travel scheme for women, with pilot projects scheduled to begin from mid-March.
Managing director of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) Y. Nagireddy told Deccan Chronicle that tenders have been called for the smart cards and that one mandal in each district will be selected for the pilot rollout.
The Mahalakshmi zero-ticket scheme was launched on December 9, 2023, allowing women to travel free of cost in RTC buses upon showing their Aadhaar card. On average, around 30 lakh women avail the facility daily. According to the transport minister, women are saving approximately Rs 6,000 per month under the scheme. By July 2025, the total number of passenger journeys under the scheme crossed 200 crore.
Transport sector experts said the transition to smart cards would need careful implementation. At present, zero tickets are issued on production of Aadhaar. They pointed out that once the smart card system is introduced, issues relating to enrolment and access would need to be addressed to ensure that eligible beneficiaries are not excluded from the scheme.
Officials said the pilot phase would assess operational challenges before statewide implementation.
