TSRTC Working On Free Bus For Women: Officials Visit Bangalore

Among the six guarantees given by the Congress in the Telangana elections was the guarantee of free travel in RTC buses for women. Now the Congress government is stepping in to implement that promise. RTC officials are getting ready to go to Bengaluru, Karnataka state for this.

RTC officials are already calculating if it is implemented in which category of buses the burden on the government will increase more. A team of four RTC officials will go to Bangalore very soon to examine the details of this scheme being implemented in the state of Karnataka. A report will be prepared with full details after examining this scheme in Karnataka for two days. As there is a possibility of implementing this scheme as soon as possible in Telangana, the RTC is making arrangements to submit the report as soon as CM Revanth Reddy asks.

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In Tamil Nadu too, women have been provided free travel accommodation in RTC buses. The scheme has been made available only in city buses and ordinary buses plying in the city and urban areas. For this purpose, pink colour buses are specially used in Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka, this scheme has been implemented in express and ordinary buses across the state. Will the Karnataka model be adopted in Telangana? Or Will they follow the Tamil Nadu model? That is to be seen.

If this scheme is implemented in Palle Velugu and Express buses like in Karnataka, it will cost the government Rs.2200 crores annually. If the same is limited to just Palle Velugu buses, the estimated cost is Rs.750 crores. If the free travel scheme for women starts in Telangana, the government will have to pay (reimburse) the revenue lost by RTC.

Karnataka has introduced a ‘zero ticket’ system to calculate how many women have travelled free on RTC buses per day. That is, for women, A Rs.0 valued ticket will be given as a zero ticket. With that, how many tickets are issued per day is recorded and calculated month-wise. Will the same method be introduced in Telangana also? Or will they follow a different method? That should be seen. If the Karnataka model is implemented in Telangana, urban and rural women will benefit.