Nizamabad:Free travel for women under the Mahalaxmi scheme on Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) buses has strengthened family bonds across the state.
After a long hiatus, attendance at village and town events, especially weddings and funerals, has risen, and TGSRTC’s infrastructure output has grown steadily over the past 20 months.
TGSRTC’s occupancy ratio jumped from 60 per cent to 95 per cent thanks to the free rides. Bus depots and stations now buzz with festive activity.
Karnataka’s Congress government also offers free women’s travel; passengers in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh await similar benefits.
“Recently, many relatives attended my father’s funeral,” said Vijaya, a homemaker from Armoor. “Free travel has revived ‘Balagam’, our village kinship bonds.”
An RTC depot manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that maintenance costs remain the same whether occupancy is 67 per cent or 95 per cent, making the higher ratio a sign of efficient resource use. He added that drivers and conductors receive training to respect women passengers, and any misconduct is dealt with seriously.
However, some autorickshaw drivers have protested, claiming they lose fares when women opt for free bus travel. For longer journeys, many women choose to pay for AC “Garuda” and “Rajadhani” buses. Others even board Maharashtra and Karnataka state buses in Telangana, by paying full fare, to suit their travel needs.
