Women’s travel in KSRTC ordinary buses rises 81% after free travel scheme begins

Thiruvananthapuram: Women’s ridership in KSRTC ordinary services witnessed a significant increase following the launch of the state government’s free travel scheme, with around 13.3 lakh women and transgender passengers using the ‘Priyadarshini’ scheme on its first day.

The figure marked an increase of nearly 5.95 lakh passengers compared with the previous Monday, when 7.35 lakh women had travelled on ordinary buses. The first-day response resulted in an estimated ticket value of Rs 2.2 crore from women passengers alone, despite them travelling without paying fares under the scheme.

On June 15, only about 2.26 lakh male passengers used KSRTC ordinary services. To accommodate the increased demand, KSRTC operated 3,125 ordinary services across the state and issued zero-fare tickets to eligible passengers, The New Indian Express reported.

However, KSRTC officials said the initial surge would need to be monitored over the coming days to understand long-term travel patterns. An official noted that the first day witnessed strong participation, particularly from supporters of the ruling front, and said ridership levels could stabilise after the initial enthusiasm fades.

Meanwhile, private bus operators claimed that the scheme had led to a steep fall in the number of women passengers using private buses. Referring to an earlier assurance from Chief Minister V D Satheesan to protect private operators from losses caused by the scheme, some operators have sought financial assistance from the government.

A representative of the All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation said the private sector was also an important part of Kerala’s public transport network and required a compensation mechanism similar to the support provided to KSRTC. The association warned that without government assistance, the private bus industry could face serious difficulties.