AAP promises free bus travel, concession in metro fares for all students in Delhi

Explaining the rationale, Kejriwal said that the measures are designed to remove a significant financial burden on students, ensuring that access to education remains uninterrupted due to economic barriers.
Arvind Kejriwal
Arvind Kejriwal
Updated on
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NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announcto provide free bus travel to all schools and college students in Delhi.

He also formally proposed a 50 per cent concession on metro fares for students, urging the Centre to collaborate with the Delhi government over cost-sharing.

Before the announcement, Kejriwal sent a letter to the Prime Minister, officially proposing the concession.

He wrote: “I am writing the letter to draw your attention to an important matter concerning the students of Delhi’s schools and colleges. A significant number of Delhi students rely on the metro for their daily commute to educational institutions.”

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Explaining the rationale, Kejriwal said that the measures are designed to remove a significant financial burden on students, ensuring that access to education remains uninterrupted due to economic barriers.

He reiterated that the AAP and its government prioritise education above anything and the country progresses only when people are educated.

“Education is the foundation for the nation's advancement. There are many underprivileged people and children whose education gets interrupted as they lack the financial means to attend school or college,” he said.

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These major announcements come after Kejriwal having already announced half a dozen welfare guarantees for the people of Delhi.

He also noted that in Delhi, a large number of students, especially male students, rely heavily on the metro for transportation. “The metro is the lifeline of Delhi, but it has become very expensive. For an average student, affording metro travel is a significant burden,” he said.

While proposing the 50 per cent concession on metro fares for students, Kejriwal said, “The Delhi Metro is a 50:50 joint venture between the Delhi government and the central government. Profits and losses, as well as capital investments, are shared equally between the two. Today, I have written to the Prime Minister, requesting a 50 per cent concession on metro fares for students. The cost of this concession should be shared equally, with the Delhi government and the central government each bearing 50 per cent of the expense.” 

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Arvind Kejriwal emphasised that the initiative is purely in the interest of public welfare and should not be politicized.

“I hope the Prime Minister will accept this request for the benefit of our children and youth. After the elections, we will implement free bus travel for students and hopefully a 50% concession for students traveling by metro," he said.

"This announcement is a step towards creating a more equitable and accessible education system in Delhi. I am confident that this move will bring joy and relief to students and their families,” he also said.

Responding to a media query, Kejriwal asked, "We are stating that students' metro fares should be reduced by half. Does the BJP agree to it... Will they include it in their manifesto? If the BJP does not include it in their manifesto, why should students even vote for them?"

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