For women in the city, the free bus ride scheme has resulted in monthly savings.
What’s it about? With the Zero Ticket Bus Travel (ZTBT) scheme, women passengers have saved 8-12% of their monthly income. Due to a decline in women participating in the workforce, the state government introduced the scheme last year. The MTC stated more than 7 lakh women use the bus daily. They commissioned a study along three busy routes.
- The report stated that women who use the scheme make an average of 50 trips every month. Those who earn less than ₹5,000 saved about 28% of their income.
- The report also stated concerns about the perception that the frequency of buses under the scheme had decreased. The MTC said higher demand led to more stops.
Benefits: The extra savings are used for household expenses or children’s education. For some, having a little extra has helped cushion themselves from retail inflation.