CHENNAI: The government has expanded free bus travel for persons with 40% or more disability, allowing them to travel free of cost across a wider range of city, town and mofussil bus services using their Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID). The move expands the existing benefit, which was earlier restricted to specified routes and bus services.
Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister K Jagadeeshwari, while responding to the demand for grants for the Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons, said the expanded benefit would cover low-floor buses, Express, Limited Stop Service (LSS), Deluxe and mofussil services. However, air-conditioned buses will be excluded.
The scheme will also cover persons with disabilities who cannot commute independently and require an attendant. In such cases, the attendant can also travel free of cost. The government is implementing the expanded scheme at an annual cost of Rs 114 crore.
Earlier, free travel was available to eligible persons with disabilities for specified journeys, including commuting between their homes and educational institutions, hospitals, training centres and workplaces. There were also provisions for free travel on suburban buses in districts and ordinary buses at hill stations for journeys of up to 100 km.
Speaking to TNIE, Sathish Kumar of the Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) welcomed the move, saying it would eliminate the hassle of online registration for MTC bus passes.
However, he pointed out that persons with disabilities were still unable to independently access low-floor buses and that several accessibility features required improvement, including wheelchair belts.
Welfare measures
Specially designed petrol scooters or battery-operated devices for persons of short stature at a cost of Rs 4 crore
10 additional homes for persons with mental health issues at a cost of Rs 1.82 crore
10 homes with vocational training for those with intellectual disabilities at Rs 1.77 crore
