Women in Kerala are likely to receive free travel on select Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses under the UDF government’s proposed ‘Indira Guarantee’ scheme. According to the proposal, the benefit will be available to all women passengers without any income restriction, but will be limited to ordinary KSRTC bus services and will not apply to super-class buses.
Unlike states such as Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where women beneficiaries are required to use special travel cards or passes, Kerala is expected to implement the scheme without issuing separate cards. Officials say the state is likely to follow a model similar to Tamil Nadu, where women can directly avail the benefit on eligible buses.
Kerala currently operates nearly 4,700 KSRTC buses, including around 3,000 ordinary buses. The proposed free travel scheme is expected to apply mainly to these ordinary services, while around 300 city fast buses are also likely to remain outside the scheme. The KSRTC fleet additionally includes nearly 1,400 super-class buses and 300 fast passenger services, which are not expected to be covered.
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Transport officials estimate that an ordinary KSRTC bus currently carries between 700 and 1,000 passengers daily. Authorities believe extending free travel benefits to higher-category diesel buses would not be financially viable considering rising fuel prices and increasing operational expenses.
Officials estimate that the scheme could create an additional financial burden of nearly Rs 90 crore every month for KSRTC. At present, the Kerala government already provides around Rs 50 crore monthly towards salaries and nearly Rs 80 crore for pension support to sustain KSRTC operations.
Rising fuel prices are also reportedly adding close to Rs 3 crore in extra monthly expenses. With the implementation of the free travel scheme, total government support for KSRTC could increase to nearly Rs 220 crore per month.
However, transport authorities believe the initiative could also generate indirect revenue benefits. Officials expect that when women begin travelling free, accompanying family members, including men, may increasingly choose KSRTC services, thereby boosting overall passenger traffic and ticket revenue.
Discussions are also underway regarding the future expansion of electric buses in Kerala to reduce operational costs. Officials noted that several central government schemes aimed at promoting electric public transport had not been fully utilised during the previous Pinarayi Vijayan administration
