delhi

Updated: Jul 15, 2020 22:12 IST

The Delhi government launched a free-ride scheme for women in state-run buses from Tuesday.

Female passengers opting for free travel will be issued a pink ticket for a single journey. Availing the scheme will be optional. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted wishing “sisters” on the occasion of Bhai Dooj.

According to government data, the combined daily ridership of cluster and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses is about 4.4 million in the national capital. Nearly 35% of the commuters are female passenger.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the free ride scheme will ensure women safety. “Free-ride for women in Delhi buses has started from today. Congratulations Delhi! Apart from women safety, it will also increase the role of women in Delhi economy,” Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi.

Announcing the scheme on Monday, Kejriwal had said he would board a bus on Tuesday.

A ride in a non-AC bus can cost between Rs 5 and Rs 15 while AC buses charge between Rs 10 and Rs 25. In the first year, the scheme is likely to cost the Delhi government Rs 350 crore.

Women travelling in DTC buses plying to other NCR cities such as Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad also won’t have to pay.

On June 3, Kejriwal had announced the plan to offer free rides to women in DTC buses, cluster buses and Delhi Metro.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) told the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government that rolling it out in the Metro would take at least eight months. The DTC, which is completely under the state government, implemented the scheme in its buses.

Staring Tuesday, the Delhi government will also induct marshals in each of its 5,558 buses for safety of women. 3,395 marshals are already deployed in buses and over 9,500 will be put on duty from Tuesday. About 10% of the total civil defence volunteers are women.