Overview

• Andhra Pradesh will launch its free bus travel scheme on Independence Day, extending the program to a sixth state after Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and Telangana
• Multi-state studies by Sustainable Mobility Network and Nikore Associates show women save 32%–53.5% of monthly transport costs and redirect funds to essentials like education and healthcare
• Cities with full fare subsidies report sharp ridership gains, with women’s share of bus commuters in Delhi rising from 33% in 2019 to 42% in 2023 and similar upticks in Bengaluru and Hubballi
• Annual subsidy burdens have surged to an estimated ₹1,200 crore in Delhi and ₹12,614 crore in Karnataka, while Andhra Pradesh’s new scheme is projected to cost around ₹2,200 crore a year
• Persistent safety concerns—from poorly lit stops to drivers skipping crowded women’s pick-up points—have prompted Delhi’s new BJP government to replace pink tickets with an Aadhaar-linked pass restricted to city residents