As women opt for free bus travel, Cong. assures to protect autorickshaw drivers

Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Adilabad: Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar assured that the Congress government would protect the interests of autorickshaw drivers after they raised concerns that their earnings would be hit due to the implementation of a free bus travel facility for women, even as the Maha Lakshmi scheme gathered pace.

Speaking to media personnel at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday, Prabhakar said, “The state government will definitely discuss their issues and consider all the aspects. Meetings will be conducted with the associations to clear their apprehensions while ensuring the well-being of the TSRTC.”

Prabhakar stated that the ‘Praja Darbar’ being conducted by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad was evoking a huge response and it would be replicated in the Assembly constituencies by the respective MLAs.

He said that under the Maha Lakshmi scheme, the facility to travel free for women was launched in over 9,000 TSRTC buses, which can transport 45 lakh women every day. Women residents would have to present identity cards to the conductors, he said.

Prabhakar stated that all the departments would release white papers on financial conditions, which would be placed in the public domain very soon.

RTC buses on Sunday witnessed a heavy rush of women passengers, who availed of the free travel facility with their family and friends. Most of them preferred to visit popular religious places like Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Yadadri, among others.

Almost all Palle Velugu services were packed while the city services registered high occupancy. “The scheme created an interest among women to avail of the free travel city introduced for the first time in the State,” RTC regional manager for Rangareddy district A. Sridhar said.

From the city, the popular routes were to the Sanghi temple and amusement parks.

“Free travel for women is of great use, especially to those staying in rural areas, apart from those commuting in the city like me,” said R. Sumalatha at a bus stop on Road No. in Banjara Hills, who was going to her friend’s house in Kukatpally.

Another woman said the money they saved would never go to waste. In most cases, the direct beneficiaries are either children or family members. “Though the Maha Lakshmi scheme is for women, indirectly, all the members of a family will gain,” said A. Alluvelu, who boarded a bus on Route No. 107 at Rathefile to reach Dilsukhnagar.

In Adilabad, an elderly woman, Kalabai of Kajjarla in Tamsi mandal, said the measure would help women to go out and do work on their own.

A third-gender person, Nitya of Utnoor, thanked the Congress government for recognising the community on par with other genders.

In Nizamabad, the RTC buses witnessed high occupancy as the women and girls came forward to utilise free travel facilities at bus stations at Nizamabad, Bodhan, Armoor and Kamareddy, avoiding autorickshaws.

The TSRTC ordered an inquiry into an incident, in which a bus conductor at Bodhan depot issued a ticket to a woman passenger. The conductor concerned was attached to the depot and departmental action would be taken after completion of the probe, officials said.