10 pc rise in female commuters in Delhi's public buses since free-ride scheme launch

The number of female commuters in public buses in the national capital has jumped by nearly 10 percent since the implementation of the Delhi government's free-ride scheme for women, official data released on Wednesday showed. Female commuters earlier used to form 33 percent of the daily ridership in public buses, it said, adding that in 22 days since the implementation of the scheme, the ridership of women passengers has jumped to around 44 percent.

The percentage of women travelers was calculated by counting single-journey passes (pink tickets) of denomination Rs 10 issued to them, the data said. The Kejriwal government's scheme to provide free rides to women on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses was launched on October 29.

The percentage of women in public buses ranged between 32 percent on the first day of the scheme and 42 percent in the last count on November 19, according to the data. The Delhi government launched the scheme, saying it would not only ensure safety of women and girls, but also strengthen their overall empowerment through the opening job and education-related opportunities by facilitating their intra-city commute.