Free bus rides for women now roll out in eight Indian states plus one union territory. No tickets needed, just hop on. States offering this include Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Delhi,Punjab,Karnataka, Kerala,Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir,and Andhra Pradesh. But how it works — and who benefits — changes from place to place.
“Zero-ticket” is what they call it. Conductors hand these out; no charge. Just for keeping records,really . Some places also use smart cards from local transport authorities to make free travel happen.
Who gets to ride free? Depends. Common IDs like the Aadhaar card, Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC),and other government IDs work . Conductors check before giving zero-ticket. Only those who qualify get the free ride.
State-by-State Breakdown
- Tamil Nadu: Started May 2021, covers women,persons with disabilities, transgender individuals. By May 2025,over 682.02 crore free rides taken. But in 2022,Tiruppur faced issues with rude bus operators .
- West Bengal: Kicked off under ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ in June 2026. Riders use a smart card with QR code for checks. Transgender individuals not included,and no usage data from Transport Department.
- Delhi: Began with pink tickets in October 2019, now ‘Pink Saheli Smart Card’ since March 2025. Transgender folks eligible but struggle to get cards. Accessibility a problem.
- Punjab: Launched in 2021, but critics call it a “poor copy” of Delhi's . Transgender persons not included, reliance on private buses complicates things.
- Karnataka: ‘Shakti Scheme’ started June 2023, free rides on non-premium state buses for women. Smart card rollout delayed, no cards for transgender folks.
- Kerala: ‘Priyadarshini scheme’ launched June 2026,free for women and transgender persons on ordinary buses. Some say buses misidentified to deny access .
- Telangana: ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme from March 2025, free rides for women and transgender persons on most government buses. Auto-rickshaw drivers say it hits them hard,some even face tragic outcomes.
- Jammu and Kashmir: Free bus rides began April 1, 2025, using zero-ticket system.
These schemes aim to boost mobility for women and marginalized groups. But effectiveness varies. Implementation snags,lack of awareness, bureaucratic red tape… many hurdles remain.
