The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) announced a major milestone yesterday. The Mahalakshmi Free Bus Travel Scheme has helped women across the state save a combined total of 10,000 crore rupees in travel costs. This marks a historic achievement in women’s empowerment in Telangana. The scheme was launched on 9th December 2023, within just 48 hours of the new government taking charge.

Since then, over 290 crore free tickets have been issued to women passengers across the state in approximately 28 months. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and TGSRTC Managing Director Y. Nagi Reddy IPS shared that before this scheme, ordinary women, students, and daily wage workers were spending between Rs. 1,500 and Rs 2,500 every month on bus fares. That money is now being saved directly in their pockets.

The impact on ridership has been remarkable. Women’s share in TGSRTC buses has jumped from 40 per cent to over 67 per cent. Every day, more than 35 lakh women travel safely to their destinations free of cost. Soon, chip-based Smart Cards will be introduced, making travel even easier without the need to show an Aadhaar card every time.