Andhra Pradesh Rolls Out Free Bus Travel for Women and Transgender Persons from August 15

Speedy Summary

• The Andhra Pradesh government plans to roll out a free bus travel scheme for women adn transgender persons starting August 15, fulfilling one of the ‘Super Six’ election promises.
• Beneficiaries can travel on Palle Velugu, Ultra Palle Velugu, City Ordinary, Express, and Metro Express buses across the State by presenting valid ID such as aadhaar card, Voter ID, or Ration Card.
• the initiative will cover 6,700 buses (74% of the fleet) and is expected to cost ₹1,950 crore annually.
• The government is procuring 3,000 electric buses this year with plans for an additional 1,400 electric buses in two years; new drivers and mechanics will be recruited to meet increased demand.
• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to ensure flawless implementation based on models studied from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The Andhra Pradesh government’s free bus travel scheme represents a notable step toward improving accessibility for marginalized groups like women and transgender persons while fostering sustainable development through expanded reliance on public transportation. By integrating lessons learned from other States’ programs in Karnataka and Tamil nadu into Andhra Pradesh’s model design phase-a move intended to bolster transparency-this policy perhaps offers long-term benefits such as enhanced social mobility alongside environmentally friendly efforts tied via deployment leveraging growing demand shifted onward electrification fleet expansions inherently.!