THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the Priyadarshini free travel scheme for all women and transgender persons in KSRTC ordinary buses at the Thampanoor bus station on June 15.
The inaugural vehicle will be driven and operated entirely by female staff, said Transport Minister C P John. He added that the scheme will cover all women, with no special cards or certificates required, and will apply to the 3,125 ordinary buses operated by the KSRTC.
While the initiative carries an estimated daily expenditure of Rs 2 crore, the transport minister clarified that the exact liability can be assessed only after ticket data is available.
“The chief minister has assured special support for KSRTC. We will also focus on increasing non-ticket revenue, and there are people willing to sponsor buses, which we welcome,” he added.
Despite the financial liability, the government wants the policy to be viewed as an economic driver rather than a financial loss, as it is projected to increase women’s disposable income by 15% to 25% and stimulate spending across other sectors.