Free Bus Travel for Women in Andhra Pradesh Delayed Again, Now Set for Ugadi

Free bus travel for women in Andhra Pradesh has been delayed again. The government had promised to start the scheme soon after coming to power, but it has been postponed several times, usually around festivals like Dussehra and Diwali. They had planned to begin the scheme for Sankranti, but now it will start from Ugadi.

AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu recently announced that free bus travel for women on RTC buses will begin from Ugadi. He held a meeting with Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy and APSRTC MD Dwaraka Tirumala Rao to review the plans. Officials explained that the necessary systems, like the zero-ticketing system, would take time to set up, so the scheme could not be launched by Sankranti. Naidu instructed them to have everything ready for Ugadi.

He also asked officials to visit states that already provide free bus travel for women and prepare a report on their policies, challenges, and solutions.