Despite the city government’s fare-free bus travel program surpassing the milestone of 100 crore ‘pink’ tickets given to women, a report found that more than 75% of women feel uneasy riding in Delhi buses after dark.
Seventy-five percent of the women polled reported considerable savings from the ‘Pink Ticket’ scheme, with many rerouting these cash to household needs, crises, and healthcare, according to Greenpeace India’s most recent ‘Riding the Justice Route’ report.
According to the data, more women who had previously avoided buses have started using them regularly after the program’s inception in October 2019, and 25% of the women polled have increased their use of public buses.
However, safety issues persist, with 77 per cent of women feeling unsafe on buses after dark due to poor lighting and infrequent bus schedules, it pointed out.
Many women have also reported incidents of harassment, especially in overcrowded buses, it added.
Under the ‘Pink Ticket’ scheme, no woman has to pay to travel in Delhi’s public buses but women have the option of purchasing tickets if they wish to.
“This scheme has unlocked public transit for women in Delhi,” said Greenpeace India campaigner Aakiz Farooq.
“But for it to be truly transformative, we need to expand the fleet, enhance safety, and ensure well-connected services to make public transport accessible for everyone,” he said.
The report also noted that with the milestone of 100 crore ‘pink’ tickets, the scheme has not only supported women’s economic and social independence but also contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging public transit use over private vehicles.
Greenpeace India further called for a nationwide adoption of fare-free public transport for women and transgender people, alongside infrastructure improvements, to create safer and more sustainable cities across the country.
Get the latest news updates and stay informed with FELA NEWS!
Source: NDTV
