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Billed arsenic a important measurement towards women’s empowerment, the Kerala authorities connected Monday (June 15, 2026) launched its ambitious flagship ‘Priyadarshini’ escaped question strategy for each women and transgender persons connected mean buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan inaugurated the strategy astatine the Thampanoor Central Bus Station astir 9.30 a.m. The inaugural travel carrying the Chief Minister and different dignitaries from the autobus presumption to the Secretariat premises was operated wholly by women crew.
The strategy volition screen astir 3,125 mean buses operated by the KSRTC, though not each of them are presently successful work owed to operational constraints. It is expected to person a far-reaching interaction connected women from divers societal and economical backgrounds crossed the State.
Under the scheme, women and transgender persons tin question escaped of complaint connected 7 categories of KSRTC mean services: ordinary, metropolis ordinary, limited-stop ordinary, fair-stage ordinary, town-to-town, point-to-point, and Gramavandi services. Ahead of the launch, stickers were affixed to eligible buses to assistance passengers place the services nether the scheme.
Substantial fiscal burden
One of the 5 guarantees promised by the United Democratic Front (UDF) successful its predetermination manifesto, the strategy is expected to enforce a important fiscal load connected the cash-strapped KSRTC. However, the Chief Minister has assured that the State authorities volition supply peculiar fiscal enactment to compensate the corp for the expenditure incurred.
According to preliminary estimates, the regular outgo of implementing the strategy connected mean services unsocial is expected to beryllium astir ₹2 crore. The nonstop fiscal liability, however, volition beryllium assessed aft analysing ticketing information generated pursuing the rollout.
Expansion of benefits
During the archetypal phase, women and transgender passengers volition beryllium allowed to question escaped of complaint connected mean autobus services for the archetypal 100 days. Following a reappraisal of the scheme’s performance, the authorities plans to see extending the payment to different categories of services, including accelerated and superfast buses.
The State authorities views the inaugural not simply arsenic a payment measurement but besides arsenic an economical stimulus. Officials estimation that the strategy could trim women’s question expenditure by 15% to 25%, enabling greater disposable income that could, successful turn, boost economical activity.
Women successful confederate Kerala, peculiarly successful Thiruvananthapuram, are expected to payment importantly from the scheme. The portion presently has astir 687 operational mean buses, portion the confederate districts unneurotic relationship for 1,268 buses, making them among the largest beneficiaries of the initiative.
