With Assembly polls due early next year in the city, the Aam Aadmi Party government is going to make metro and bus travels free for women in Delhi "to encourage them to use public transport".

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, 3 June, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "On all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains women will be allowed to travel free of cost so that they have a safe travel experience and can access modes of transport which they were not able to, due to high prices.”

“Public transport has been considered the safest mode of travel,” he added.

He also said that women who are able to afford the tickets for buses and metro trains should buy them, making the scheme a voluntary one. Kejriwal also said that the government is looking to implement the decision in the next “2-3 months” and has asked the officers to submit a detailed report within a week.