Delhi govt sets aside Rs 290 cr for free ride to women in buses, metro

The Delhi Assembly on Monday passed the AAP government's supplementary demands for grants of Rs 290 crore for free travel for women passengers in buses and metro trains.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also tabled a proposal of supplementary demands for grants of Rs 142 crore to fund deployment of marshals in buses and Rs 47 crore for the regional rapid transit system corridors, which were approved with a voice of votes.

According to the supplementary demands for grants tabled by Sisodia, the government has set aside Rs 140 crore for free travel for women in the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and cluster buses, while Rs 150 crore in metro trains.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had, in his Independence Day address, announced that rides on DTC and cluster buses would be free for women from October 29.

Sisodia said the free-ride scheme would be implemented soon in the public transport buses, but it would take some time incase of metro trains as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had to make preparations for it.

The deputy chief minister said free ride in public transport and marshals in buses will prove to be two major steps by the government to ensure safety of women.

There are around 5,500 buses, including around 3,800 run by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), and more than 1,600 run under the Cluster Scheme by Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMITS).

Government officials said out of 140 crore earmarked for free ride in buses, Rs 90 crore subsidy will go to DTC and remaining 50 percent to DIMTS.

The government has also provided for grant of Rs 47 crore to the RRTS project in the light of the Supreme Court's recent directives.

Under the RRTS project in Delhi-NCR, three corridors of phase-1 - Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, Delhi-Panipat and Delhi-Gurgaon-SNB (Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror Urban Complex) will be converging at the Sarai Kale Khan RRTS station in Delhi.

The project aims at linking Delhi-NCR destinations for a seamless, hassle-free commuting.