Free Bus Service For Women Likely Be Revised In Jammu Kashmir Amid Losses

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government is mulling changes in the free bus service for women amid daily losses in its operation. The freebie was started on April 1 after the government presented its first budget.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah presented the first budget of his government in March this year and launched the free bus service for women in the Smart City fleet and Road Transport Corporation buses on International Women’s Day.

However, the measure incurred Rs 20 lakh daily losses on the government, as it was admitted in the October session of the assembly in Srinagar.

The government said the operational costs of running the 200 smart city buses in Jammu and Srinagar cities are higher than the revenue generated. Each smart city bus generates Rs 12 per kilometre in Kashmir but needs Rs 60.74 to operate, incurring a Rs 48.74 per km loss to the government daily, which amounts to Rs 9.74 lakh for the total buses it operates from Srinagar to its outskirts.

Similarly, in Jammu city, each smart city bus generates revenue of Rs 10 per km against Rs 62.66 per km of running it, totalling Rs 19.75 lakh daily. The government did not reveal the losses its 205 RTC buses face in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following this disclosure by the government, Minister for Transport Satish Sharma admitted that the policy needed some amendments so that only the most needy persons are given free service. “We aimed to help school-going students, old-aged citizens and women who cannot afford fare, not those who take salaries. When decisions are taken, they have deficiencies, and correcting those deficiencies can help in the welfare of the people,” Sharma had said.

Passengers who had initially appreciated the service are now complaining of overcrowding, an uncomfortable environment and increased time to reach the destination. “Overcrowding is so bad that finding a space to stand inside the buses is now a struggle. Bus running time and stops have also increased. A distance of 20 minutes now takes an hour, as stops are so frequent to drop passengers,” a group of passengers said.

The free service has attracted more women towards these buses, which is corroborated by officials of the Smart City who say that there are 40,000 rides by women passengers daily in these buses. This figure, however, does not count the women passengers who travelled in RTC buses.

Sharma said that the government was aware of the losses and the complaints of overcrowded buses. “We have noted these complaints and are considering changes,” Sharma said.

The government is also facing pressure from the private transporters, who say they too are facing losses due to the free service. Sheikh Yousuf, president of the minibus union, said the free service is hitting their sector. In its recent meeting with the transport minister, the transporter association, which had called off its strike for its demand, had raised the issue of free bus service incurring losses to the sector.

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