Hyderabad: The ‘Maha Lakshmi free bus’ scheme has come as a boon for working women, including government employees, as they can now save money that they used to spend on commuting to office.
They used to spend Rs 1,300 and Rs1,350 on their monthly passes for travelling in ordinary and metro services, respectively, within the GHMC limits.
“From now on, we can invest the amount so saved on a monthly chit fund scheme,” said K. Saraswathi, a sales executive from Warasiguda. She said it was a major relief as she need not pay for travelling to her native place in Warangal and on the daughter’s transportation to school.
“On an average, we will be saving over Rs 1,800 every month, including the Rs 450 spent on student pass,” Saraswathi explained.
Another private employee, K. Madhavi, a resident of Trimulgherry, said that she used to spend over Rs 100 to meet relatives in Uppal every fortnight. But the Congress government’s free bus facility would enable her and her family to save much.
The scheme has brought relief to government employees, especially teachers. Most teachers in the rural areas travel to Hyderabad during weekends to meet their relatives and friends.
“We can now travel without spending a single paisa,” S. Shobha, a government primary school teacher from Bowenpally, said.
Several senior citizens were overjoyed when conductors informed them that no fare would be collected from them.
A group of women boarded a bus on Route No. 2 at Rathifile to go to Charminar and kept change ready to buy a ticket. They were in for a pleasant surprise when the conductor informed them that the free travel for women had taken effect, and they could travel at no cost.
Meanwhile, using a hand-held public address system at Rathifile bus station, assistant manager P. Srinivas Rao was announcing that women passengers could travel anywhere, anytime in Telangana free of cost.
