Hyderabad, December 8, 2023: In a groundbreaking initiative, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) is set to offer free bus travel for women, as directed by the Telangana State Government. The official inauguration, scheduled for Saturday, December 9, 2023, at 1:30 PM at the Assembly premises in Hyderabad, will be presided over by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
The free travel provision encompasses women in Palle Veluk, Ordinary, and Express services, spanning village light and express bus routes, as well as City Ordinary and Metro Express services in Hyderabad. Notably, the initiative extends beyond women, including girls, students, and individuals of the third gender for complimentary travel privileges.
During a media conference at Bus Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday, TSRTC Managing Director VC Sajjanar outlined the guidelines for this significant initiative. Women residing in Telangana are eligible for this benefit and must present valid identity cards to conductors for local polarization during their journey. There are no mileage restrictions, and each female passenger will be issued a zero-ticket. However, the free travel facility applies solely to inter-state services within the boundaries of Telangana.
“The newly inaugurated state government has ambitiously taken up the program of free bus travel facility for women, set to be implemented from Saturday (Date: 09.12.2023). In this background, TSRTC is fully prepared,” stated TSRTC MD VC Sajjanar. Virtual meetings were conducted with nearly 40,000 drivers and conductors to explain the free bus travel guidelines.
Addressing potential challenges, Sajjanar directed officials to focus on efficient bus station management to prevent congestion. He emphasized the need for staff to maintain discipline, exercise patience, and exhibit tolerance during the implementation of free travel. The MD acknowledged positive changes in staff behavior over the last two years, contributing to increased company revenue, and called for continued cooperation to ensure the success of the ‘Free Bus Travel for Women’ program.
Various officials, including TSRTC COVO Dr. V. Ravinder, Executive Directors Munishekhar, Purushottam, Krishnakanth, Venkateshwarlu, Finance Advisor Vijaya Pushfa, CME Raghunatha Rao, and CTM Jeevan Prasad, participated in the media conference.
The public is urged to cooperate with TSRTC staff to ensure the seamless and successful execution of this groundbreaking initiative. The implementation aligns with the Congress government’s commitment to fulfilling two of the six guarantees made to the people, coinciding with the birthday of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Alongside free bus travel, the coverage of Rajiv Aarogyasri health insurance is set to be enhanced to Rs 10 lakh from December 9, marking a significant step in improving public services and accessibility.
