Kerala govt launches free bus travel for women from 15 June

The Kerala government has approved the rollout of free bus travel for women on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) ordinary services from 15 June under its flagship "Priyadarshini" scheme, chief minister V.D. Satheesan announced on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting, Satheesan said the initiative fulfils the government's "Indira Guarantee" promise and aims to make public transport more accessible for women across the state.

The chief minister said the benefit will be available to women of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds, with no income-based restrictions.

“The concession will be available for women from all walks of life, irrespective of their financial status,” he said.

Initially, the scheme will apply only to KSRTC ordinary services. According to the government, extending the concession in its current form is expected to cost the state-run transport corporation more than Rs 60 crore every month, translating to nearly Rs 800 crore annually.

Satheesan acknowledged the financial burden on KSRTC but said the government remains committed to expanding the scheme in the future.

“Once the financial health of KSRTC improves through increased revenue generation, extending the concession to other categories of services will be considered,” he said.

The announcement marks a major welfare initiative by the state government and is expected to benefit lakhs of women commuters who rely on public transport for work, education and daily travel.

Officials said the scheme's implementation and financial impact will be monitored closely as the government explores ways to strengthen KSRTC’s revenue base while sustaining the concession.

With PTI inputs