Giving from One Hand Taking From Another: Is Delhi really giving bus ride free?

New Delhi, October 29: Women in Delhi will get free rides in public buses starting from today. As per the plan, conductors will distribute pink tickets having a face value of 10 rupees each to women passengers for free-travel. The government will then reimburse the transporters based on the number of such tickets issued. Wow sounds good right? But free bus ride? To all those who have misconceptualised this move, here let's get a clear picture. The money paid for by the exchequer is the money which is filled by your taxes which the common man pays every day. So how can this be a free bus ride? This is nothing but 'Giving from One Hand Taking From Another.'

 

There are around 3,700 DTC buses and 1,800 buses under the cluster scheme of the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS).

Tweeting the notification of implementing the free-ride scheme, transport minister Kailash Gahlot said, Historic day for Delhi !!! Females will travel free on all Buses from today. Notification has been issued. Marshals will be deployed in all DTC and cluster buses to ensure the safety of the public, especially women. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced this while addressing bus marshals at a training session. He said women's safety is the topmost priority of the government.

 

Currently, 3,400 bus marshals are already working and their strength will go up to 13 thousand with the deployment of new marshals. The scheme was rolled out in June this year to curb incidents of violence and eve-teasing against women in the city.