NILGIRIS: Free travel scheme for women passengers in TNSTC buses was introduced in the Nilgiris on Sunday. Transport Minister S S Sivasankar, Tourism Minister K Ramachandran, along with the Nilgiris MP A Raja launched the service at Udhagamandalam bus stand.TNSTC operates 99 buses within a 35km distance in the district and around 41,000 women will benefit from the scheme, sources said.
Speaking after launching the service, Sivasankar said 50 lakh women used the services across the state on an average every day, and so far 440 crore free tickets have been issued ever since the scheme was introduced in 2021.
The minister handed over appointment letters to 13 persons who were given job under compassionate grounds, gold medals to seven drivers who did not cause an accident in the last 25 years and bronze medals to 43 drivers who were not involved in an accident in the last ten years.
Further, the minister said in last year’s budget the state government has allocated Rs 2,800 crore to TNSTC and in this year’s budget it has allotted Rs 3,050 crore. “TNSTC is functioning effectively even without increasing ticket fare,” he added. Sources said the Government Order for free travel in other hilly areas like Valparai and Kodaikanal will be issued soon.