Hyderabad: In per week from now, ladies and trans individuals will be capable of journey freed from cost on Andhra Pradesh State Street Transport Company (APSRTC) buses because the Chandrababu Naidu-led authorities gears as much as roll out one other one in every of its “Tremendous Six” election guarantees on 15 August.

Accredited by the Andhra Pradesh cupboard Wednesday, the ‘Stree-Shakti’ scheme is anticipated to price the state authorities Rs 1,942 crore every year. An analogous scheme (Mahalakshmi) was rolled out in neighbouring Telangana by the Revanth Reddy-led Congress authorities in December 2023.

Nonetheless, whereas the Mahalakshmi scheme in Telangana was flagged off by CM Revanth Reddy inside two days of his swearing-in, in Andhra Pradesh the scheme is being rolled out 14 months after the TDP-Jana Sena mix with Chandrababu Naidu on the helm shaped a authorities.

“Beneath the scheme, ladies, ladies, and transgenders belonging to the state are supplied the chance to journey freed from cost from wherever to wherever,” Kolusu Parthasarathy, the state minister for data & public relations and housing, stated Wednesday at Amaravati.

Kantilal Dande, principal secretary (transport, roads & buildings), informed ThePrint the scheme will apply to 5 forms of state-run buses: PalleVelugu, Extremely PalleVelugu, Metropolis Odd, Metro Specific, and Specific.

These eligible can avail of it by displaying their Aadhaar, voter ID or ration card to the bus conductor.

Whereas the primary 4 forms of buses function on short-distance routes, the Specific service plies on long-distance routes—Vijayawada to Tirupati, for example.

Dande clarified that the ‘Stree-Shakti’ scheme is not going to apply to continuous interstate bus providers or another varieties, together with higher-priced segments like Extremely Deluxe and Tremendous Luxurious. The scheme may also not apply to contract carriage providers, chartered providers, and bundle excursions.

Ladies make up 49.9 % (2.62 crore) of Andhra Pradesh’s whole inhabitants (5.25 crore).

Beneath this scheme, free journey for ladies and trans individuals can be accessible for 74 % of APSRTC’s whole fleet of 6,700 buses. The scheme is anticipated to price the state authorities Rs 162 crore per thirty days.

The federal government expects that the scheme will encourage an estimated 10.84 lakh extra ladies commuters to make use of state-run buses, moreover the 16.11 lakh ladies already utilizing APSRTC providers.

“In implementing this scheme, the federal government will place nice emphasis on the security of girls and ladies by offering physique cameras to feminine conductors and putting in CC cameras in buses. Equally, primary amenities like followers and good water amenities may also be supplied at bus stations,” stated the minister.

It’s learnt that APSRTC plans to acquire greater than 4,000 electrical buses over the subsequent two years, whereas additionally recruiting extra drivers and mechanics, to have the ability to cater to elevated demand.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)

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