Kolkata: Woman commuters in Kolkata and its suburbs have availed of free rides worth Rs 4.5 lakh within the first 12 days of the state’s flagship initiative, triggering a massive 14% surge in female ridership.
The free-travel scheme across all state transport undertaking (STU) buses, which rolled out on June 1, has quickly emerged as a major success. Daily bus ridership in the metropolitan area and its suburbs currently stands at roughly 2 lakh passengers, with women now making up nearly 43% of the total. Since the launch, STU buses have seen an additional 25,000 commuters daily.
Financial Support and Tracking
The state has released Rs 12 crore to the three primary STUs — West Bengal Transport Corporation, North Bengal State Transport Corporation, and South Bengal State Transport Corporation — to subsidise and smoothly operate the programme. To track the ridership accurately, conductors are issuing “zero-value” tickets to all women passengers upon displaying a valid identity card.
Government Response
The initiative was introduced as a major welfare policy by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, aimed at easing commuting costs for women. “There has been an overwhelming response by woman passengers across the state,” said Anandamoy Burman, minister of state for transport. “This is ensuring greater mobility for women without any hassle and hardship.”
Transport officials expect the rider numbers to rise further as rural and semi-urban routes adjust to the free-fare system, marking a significant shift in the state’s public transit dynamics.
