CHENNAI: The free bus travel scheme announced by the Government of Tamil Nadu was availed by almost 7.8 million women to travel for free in the state in the last three days, according to RS Rajakannappan, Minister of Transport, Government of Tamil Nadu. As the lockdown restrictions are easing, the free bus travel for women is popularising again in the state. Rajakannappan said that almost 2.8 million women are travelling free on a daily basis.
Rajakannappan also added that as many as 5741 transwomen, 51,615 differently-abled people, and 8396 of their companions travelled free in the buses of the transport corporation. The state government is also planning to install CCTV cameras in 2500 buses under the ‘Nirbhaya Scheme’ for which Rs 70 crore have been kept aside.
The minister also added that a surge in fuel prices has also affected the Department of Transport which is running at a loss of Rs 33,000 crore already. He said that the objective of the scheme is not to extract profit but to provide affordable bus services to the common people.