look news india
A historic step has been taken towards making the public transport system in Kerala more inclusive and accessible. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has officially flagged off the free bus travel scheme for women and transgender community of the state. This big and public-friendly scheme was inaugurated by senior state Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly VD Satheesan during a grand ceremony. The implementation of this scheme will not only provide huge financial relief to working women and girl students, but will also prove to be a milestone in connecting the marginalized transgender community of the society with the mainstream and providing them social security.
Kerala moving towards equality and empowerment: VD Satheesan praised Inaugurating the scheme, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan lauded the initiative and called it an essential step for the social development of the state. He said that providing safe and free transportation facilities to women and transgenders lays the foundation for their economic empowerment. Only when every section of the society has equal rights over public properties and transport systems, real progress is possible. Through this scheme, KSRTC has set an excellent example of gender equality in front of the country, the echoes of which are now being heard in the political and social circles of the entire country.
How will the free bus travel scheme work and on which routes the facility will be available? According to the information given by KSRTC officials, under this free bus travel scheme, eligible passengers will not have to pay any fare to travel in ordinary and fast passenger buses of KSRTC. For this, the department may soon start the process of issuing special travel cards or passes. In the initial phase, the scheme has been fully implemented on local and regional routes so that daily commuters, especially women coming from poor and middle class families, can get immediate benefits. Special help desks are also being set up for this facility at bus stands and main depots.
What will be the impact on the budget and infrastructure of the transport corporation? After the launch of this public welfare scheme, discussions have started among experts regarding the financial condition of KSRTC. The smooth operation of this scheme will be a big challenge for the Transport Corporation, which is already struggling with financial losses, for which the state government is said to be providing special budgetary assistance or subsidy. However, officials believe that the free travel facility will significantly increase the ridership of buses, which will increase the efficiency of bus operations and further strengthen people’s confidence in public transport.