Mahalakshmi free bus scheme cuts women’s travel costs by 68% | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: Women’s average travel cost per trip fell by 68.1% and reliance on TGSRTC buses increased sharply after the state govt launched the Mahalakshmi free bus scheme in Dec 2023, according to a study published in the latest edition of the journal Sustainable Transport and Livability.Titled “Exploring the impact of women’s free bus services on women’s mobility and quality of life”, the study was jointly conducted by the Schools of Planning and Architecture in Vijayawada and New Delhi. Researchers analysed 410 responses from women across the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area. Students accounted for 49% of respondents, while around 63% did not own a vehicle.The average cost per trip dropped from ₹30.4 to ₹9.7, while the share of women primarily using TGSRTC buses rose from 43.8% to 71.2%. Average trip distance increased from 7.5 km to 8 km.Social trips became 22.8% longer and health-related trips 15.5% longer. Weekly trips increased marginally from 4.23 to 4.35, but the change was not statistically significant.The benefits varied across income and age groups. Women from households earning below ₹20,000 a month saw travel costs fall by about 73%, compared with 69% among those earning ₹20,001–₹50,000 and 62% among those earning above ₹2 lakh. Women below 20 reported the biggest gains in travel distance and frequency, while those aged 30–40 shifted most strongly to buses. Women above 40 recorded the greatest savings. Students and informal workers showed the strongest shift to buses, while homemakers benefited mainly from lower expenses.“The main objective of our study was to understand whether the scheme has improved women’s mobility and quality of life beyond simply reducing their travel expenses,” said Pavan Kumar Machavarapu of the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.Social inclusion gains were stronger in central and southern Hyderabad, while safety improvements were more evident along well-served bus corridors. Education benefits clustered around institutions, and health-related gains were prominent in peripheral areas.“Our results point more strongly to improved affordability and a shift in mode choice than to a statistically established increase in the number of trips,” Pavan Kumar said.The researchers cautioned that free travel alone does not ensure equal access to opportunities. They recommended expanding services in peripheral and low-income areas, improving first- and last-mile connectivity, adding buses during academic hours, and providing better facilities for older women and homemakers. Female conductors, CCTV cameras, better-lit bus stops and improved crowd management were suggested to enhance safety.They also called for regular area-wise monitoring using GIS and better outreach to low-income and less-literate women.“The success of a free bus scheme should not be measured by ridership alone,” Pavan Kumar said.
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