Overview

• The report “Beyond Free Rides” commissioned by the Sustainable Mobility Network, Parisar and Waatavaran Foundation and conducted by Nikore Associates is based on over 2,500 surveys, focus group discussions and interviews across 10 cities in five states.
• Karnataka’s Shakti Scheme led to a 23% rise in women’s employment in Bengaluru and a 21% increase in Hubballi-Dharwad after introducing free intracity bus travel.
• Maharashtra’s Mahila Samman Yojana half-fare intercity subsidy saw 42% of women report no change in travel behavior and only 10% extending their journeys, translating into a marginal 5% improvement in job access.
• Less than half of women surveyed in Karnataka report feeling safe on buses, citing harassment, overcrowding, poor lighting and first-and-last-mile costs as barriers to greater scheme benefits.
• Key recommendations include expanding fare-free intracity coverage, investing in bus fleets, improving first-and-last-mile connections, installing safety features such as lighting and CCTV and training staff in gender sensitivity.