INDIA: Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) provided the free state bus rides to women in Bengaluru on the occasion of International Women’s Day. It also includes the premier AC services that run to the Kempegowda International Airport.
The main reason for such an initiative is to ensure a safe public transport system for women by encouraging them to opt for public city buses over other means of transport.
On the occasion of the BMTC turning 25 years on August 15, 2022, free bus rides were given to citizens of Bengaluru. This is however the first time that women are being given free bus rides on this day with a corporation running with a fleet size of 6,000 buses and with 5,567 buses running. Covering a distance of 10.84 lakh km, the corporation runs 50,000 trips.
Approximately 29 lakh people depend on city bus services, with 25% to 80% of their passengers being women. More than 20 lakh women would be travelling in city buses on March 8.
State Government was approached by the corporation asking about permissions to run free rides for women on International Women’s Day that would squeeze out a fare revenue of more than rupees 8 crores by making rides free for women.
G Sathyavathi, BMTC MD said, “On International Women’s Day, we want to pass the message to women of Bengaluru to use public transport and that it is safe for them. It is also an outreach program by the Corporation to popularise our services and get more patronage in the coming days.”
“On Wednesday, we are running all the scheduled operations and women will be allowed to travel in all services, including those operated to the Airport, for free,” BMTC MD further added.
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