After Women, Telangana May Extend Free Bus Travel to Senior Citizens
The Telangana government is considering extending free bus travel to senior citizens, following the implementation of the Mahalakshmi scheme that provides free travel to women on state-run buses.
Hyderabad: The Telangana government is considering extending free bus travel to senior citizens, following the implementation of the Mahalakshmi scheme that provides free travel to women on state-run buses. The proposal is reportedly being examined in view of repeated requests from senior citizens and their dependence on public transport, particularly in rural areas.
If implemented, the proposed benefit could provide significant relief to elderly passengers who depend on public transport for medical visits, government-related work, shopping and other essential travel. However, the government is expected to examine several operational and financial aspects before taking a final decision.
In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, senior citizens aged 60 years and above are provided a 25 per cent concession on bus fares, including AC services. Telangana, however, is considering a more extensive benefit in the form of completely free travel for senior citizens.
One of the key issues under consideration is the range of bus services that would be covered if the proposal is approved. The government will have to decide whether the facility should be extended across all services, from Palle Velugu buses to Express services, or restricted to selected categories. It will also need to determine whether the benefit would apply to journeys between different districts.
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The financial implications of the proposal are likely to be another major consideration. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is already facing a financial burden due to the free travel facility being provided to women under the Mahalakshmi scheme. Extending a similar benefit to senior citizens could further increase the financial liability on the transport corporation.
The government would therefore have to work out how the additional expenditure would be reimbursed to TGSRTC and how much money would need to be allocated for the proposed scheme. Similar to the existing arrangement for women’s free travel, the government may have to provide separate financial support to the transport corporation to compensate it for free journeys undertaken by senior citizens.
Several details, including the eligibility age, the categories of buses covered, inter-district travel and the mechanism for reimbursing TGSRTC, would have to be finalised before the scheme can be implemented.
For now, the proposal is still under consideration and no final decision has been announced. Clear guidelines are expected only after the government completes its assessment of the financial and operational feasibility of extending free bus travel to senior citizens.
