Free bus scheme: Sajjanar creates confusion

 Hyderabad: Transport principal secretary A. Vani Prasad and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation managing director V. C. Sajjanar on Friday goofed up the otherwise grand announcement of Maha Lakshmi free bus scheme for women, one of the Six Guarantees of the Congress that rode to power in the recently held Assembly elections.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will launch the scheme designed to allow women of all ages to travel free of cost in the state-run bus services including the city bus services.

However, the government order (GO) issued by  Vani Prasad with guidelines for the scheme mentioned that free travel will be allowed in the inter-state express within state boundaries and Palle Velugu services. There was no mention of city services in which lakhs of women travel, causing several women take to social media and raise doubts over the scheme.

Later, addressing a press conference Sajjannar said the scheme was applicable to city ordinary, express and metro apart from Palle Velugu, also resulting in confusion.

When contacted, Sajjannar blamed it on the clerical mistake in the GO issued by the principal secretary. He was silent on whether the proposals sent from the corporation made a mention about city services.