Arrangements going on to provide free bus facility to women

Nellore: In Nellore district, APSRTC is making arrangements to implement TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s promise of ‘free bus travel’ to women in State-run RTC buses, immediately after he swears in as the Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Though there is no official information from the government, RTC administration has already prepared an action for the successful implementation of free bus travel.

This scheme especially will be beneficial to several traders, like vegetable and fruit vendors, house construction workers, labourers working in private and public sectors, as this scheme will provide them free ride.

According to sources, women vendors, women workers in various fields, students and others, who live in villages within a distance of 20 km from Nellore, will come to district headquarters every day. Generally, they travel in Palle Velugu services owned by APSRTC, which runs in rural areas.

Balijepalle Venkataramanamma, a vegetable vendor from Degapudi village of Podalakuru mandal, said that she sells vegetables at Anam Chenchu Subba Reddy Vegetable market in the city. She said that she has to spend Rs 300 monthly for bus pass and another Rs 70 for meals and other expenses, from her daily income of Rs 500. She expressed happiness that this free bus ride will ease my financial burden.

House construction worker Chambedu Vani of Chennarayuni Palem village of Kavali mandal said that she travels 60 km in State-run bus by spending Rs 120 daily to do house construction works in Nellore. She thanked Chandrababu Naidu for providing free ride to women, with which they can save the daily travel expenses.

APSRTC Regional Manager PV Venkata Seshaiah told The Hans India that 40 per cent women are there in the total 1.4 lakh passengers, who travels in 628 busses under the purview of seven depots - Nellore-1 and 2, Kavali, Kandukuru, Udayagiri, Atmakur, Rapuru depots all over the district every day. Apart from these, there are 345 Palle Velugu services.

He said that there will be a possibility of increasing 5 to 10 per cent of women passengers after the introduction of free bus travel. Women passengers were allowed to travel at free of cost in Palle Velugu and Express Services, he added.