The West Bengal government commenced free bus rides for women on all state-run buses from Monday, marking the fulfillment of a key BJP election promise. Women commuters across the state, from the hills to the plains, received zero-balance tickets after presenting valid identity proofs to conductors.
Inaugural Day Highlights
On the first day, beneficiaries expressed relief as the scheme reduced their daily travel expenses. Many urged the government to increase the frequency of state bus services to accommodate the growing demand.
State minister Agnimitra Paul personally boarded a Ruby-bound state bus from Gariahat to inspect the implementation. She obtained a zero-value ticket for herself and interacted with passengers. Paul stated, "It is not enough for the government to just issue a directive and wash its hands of it. It is also our responsibility to see whether the work is actually being done on the ground. There are many people for whom Rs 50 to Rs 100 is a significant amount. They are benefiting from this initiative." She also encouraged the use of public transport amid the fuel crisis and vowed to take a free state bus ride at least once a week.
Chief Minister's Response
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari took to social media, calling the launch a landmark step towards women empowerment. He said, "Bengal takes another step forward in realising the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To fulfill BJP's pre-election promise, the government has launched free travel for women in all government buses from hills to plains."
Passenger Experiences
Given the scorching heat, air-conditioned buses operated by the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) saw a rush of women passengers during peak hours. School student Riya Roy, who traveled from Kasba to Tollygunge in an AC bus, shared, "I showed my identity card and the conductor gave me a ticket without taking any fare."
From 5 am, women began gathering at Esplanade bus depot, where long-distance services are operated by SBSTC and NBSTC. Transport department officials set up a special desk to assist beneficiaries. Women queued at designated counters to show their ID cards and receive zero-value tickets. Some conductors reported that the ETF machines used for generating tickets malfunctioned in the morning.
Banners listing the required documents for free travel were displayed at the depot. An official stated, "They need to show any of the 11 documents to prove their citizenship before taking the ride."
