Free bus service rolled out

On the primary day of free bus journey for girls, 1000’s of passengers travelled on about 5,600 bizarre fare buses throughout Tamil Nadu and on 1,700 buses in Chennai on Saturday. The passengers welcomed the measure, however urged the federal government to run extra bizarre buses.

The Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers wished the ruling DMK to maintain its election promise to supply free bus transport to all individuals with disabilities.

After taking on as Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin introduced free journey for girls on authorities buses charging bizarre fare. Since transport companies will stand to lose ₹1,200 crore in income a yr, the federal government sanctioned the sum as a subsidy.

On Saturday, Mr. Stalin stated his authorities would contemplate extending the scheme to transpersons. Responding to a tweet by a journalist, he stated a choice could be taken on the earliest.

“There are over 9,000 buses across the State and of these, 5,600 are ordinary services. Besides, there are express, deluxe and air-conditioned buses. The main difference is the fare and the number of stops. An ordinary fare bus will halt at all stops, and it will be helpful to women,” stated a senior official of the Transport Department.

All bizarre fare buses have been pasted with stickers that say ‘free travel for women’. “Women are very happy. Working women say they will be able to save ₹1,000 a month,” stated a conductor of an MTC bus.

According to S. Selvi, a passenger, the scheme will profit working ladies and college students who’ve to vary buses to succeed in their locations . “On many routes, only deluxe buses are operated. It will be helpful if the number of ordinary fare buses is increased,” she stated.

A senior official stated MTC buses operated on 700 routes. “But ordinary buses do not operate on some routes. We are taking steps to identify them for rolling out this service,” he stated.

More buses sought

In Vellore, just a few passengers stated the frequency of providers must be elevated. “Sometimes, we wait for buses for long. Now the number of bus services has been reduced owing to COVID-19,” stated Mutharasi, 50, ready at Old Bus Stop.

In Tiruchi, working ladies stated they’d lower your expenses. “The regular fare to Gandhi Market, where I purchase flowers, costs ₹1,000 a month… I am happy the government cancelled the fare for us as we would be able to use the money for household expenses. I hope the government will also cancel the fare on trains,” stated R. Dheivanai, a flower vendor.

In the Coimbatore division, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) didn’t paste the stickers on the buses. “Many women were unaware that the scheme was starting [on Saturday],” stated G.S. Lalitha, secretary of the ladies’s wing of the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam. The TPDK ladies’s wing issued pamphlets and goodies to ladies at Gandhipuram Town Bus Terminus asserting the scheme. They then travelled free from Gandhipuram to Pappanaickenpalayam.

Ms. Lalitha stated two younger ladies boarded the bus at Pappanaickenpalayam and requested the conductor for tickets. “We gave them chocolates and they asked why after which we told them about the scheme and they were surprised,” she stated.

A TNSTC official stated ladies had been allowed to journey free on 447 metropolis buses. The scheme was not relevant to the 180 deluxe ‘red buses’. The manufacturing of stickers was delayed, and they might be prepared in just a few days, he stated. “After the two-week lockdown, we will ensure that all eligible buses have these stickers,” he stated.

In Madurai, M. Lakshmi, a garment manufacturing unit employee who travels to Vadipatti day-after-day, stated the scheme would assist working ladies. “Women farmers and those who work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme can save on the money they spend on bus travel,” she stated. The scheme should be prolonged to deluxe buses too, stated AIDWA district secretary R. Sasikala. “A very limited number of buses that charge the ordinary fare are operated in the district. The scheme will be fully beneficial only if women are allowed to travel free on all city and town buses,” she stated.

A senior official of TNSTC stated almost 54% of the town and city buses within the district charged the bizarre fare. “Arrangements are made to ensure that at least one bus that charges the ordinary fare is operated to major areas and villages,” he stated.

S. Namburajan, basic secretary, TARATDAC, stated that now solely the visually challenged may journey free for 100 km in a district. “We will be happy if the benefit is extended to all the differently abled and their escorts.”