Telangana government buses carry record 50 lakh passengers; courtesy 'Maha Lakshmi' free travel scheme for women

On Monday, more than 50 lakh passengers travelled by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses. The marked increase in travel was witnessed while people, mostly women, who ventured out on the last Monday of the month of Kartika. It was also fuelled by the 'Maha Lakshmi' free bus travel scheme for women launched by Telangana government as one of its promises.

Hyderabad:In a first, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation(TSRTC) handled over 50 lakh passengers on Monday, which is the last of the Monday's in the lunar month Karthiga. The increase of about 20 per cent when compared to the daily average of handling about 40 lakhs, is also attributed to the 'Maha Lakshmi' free bus travel scheme for women, launched over the weekend by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Before the numbers hit the half-crore mark, the transport corporation recorded transportation of 41 lakhs on Sunday, a day after the free travel was launched in the state.

In September, the Congress announced the ‘Maha Lakshmi’ scheme as part of its six promises for Telangana state ahead of its elections. The Congress, through the scheme, promised to provide free bus travel for women in Telangana. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy who took oath on Thursday, December 7, signed the launch of the scheme as his gift to the women electorate of Telangana.

The scheme provides free travel for girls, women of all age groups, and transgender persons in state-run Palle Velugu and express buses operated by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), plying within Telangana.The women passengers will have to bear their travel fare beyond the borders of Telangana.

After it was approved, the scheme was rolled out on December 9. As per the scheme, the Telangana government will reimburse the transport corporation for the ticket fares, subject to the actual distance travelled by women passengers.

Muni Shekhar, Road Transport Corporation Executive Director (Operations) said that over 50 lakh people took buses and attributed the surge in numbers to the free travel scheme launched by the government.

"Free travel scheme for women has been implemented. There is a record number of women travelling in buses on the final Monday of the month of Kartika," he said.

On Monday, the RTC officials operated both regular and spare buses in anticipation of increase in the number of passengers due to the auspicious day. Drivers and conductors reported to duty without taking a weekend off as part of the arrangements to handle the huge passenger volume. RTC sources said the number of female bus passengers has seen a surge compared to other days.

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