The Kerala government has sought a report from KSRTC ahead of implementing a free bus travel scheme for women starting June 15. The key question under consideration is which bus services will be covered under the free travel initiative.

According to sources, the free travel is likely to be limited to ordinary and fast passenger buses. Premium services such as budget tourism, chartered, AC, and inter-state services may be excluded from the scheme. The government will also resume gender ticketing to collect data on women passengers.

Kerala is looking at the Tamil Nadu model, where a similar scheme proved beneficial for the state transport corporation due to timely subsidy payments from the government. KSRTC officials have expressed hope that regular government contributions will help sustain the program.

Women passengers stand to save between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000 per month on travel expenses. However, KSRTC staff have cautioned that the scheme could lead to increased crowding, as women who currently use private buses or two-wheelers may switch to KSRTC services. They have urged the government to deploy additional buses to manage the expected surge in demand.

The scheme marks a significant welfare initiative by the new state government, aiming to provide financial relief to women commuters across Kerala.