In a significant move to honour its poll commitments, the Andhra Pradesh government will introduce free bus travel for women from August 15, 2025. This scheme is one of the highly-publicized “Super 6” guarantees made during the recent Assembly elections and is now ready to be implemented after a year of careful planning and evaluations.
As part of the programme, women in the state will be given travel passes at district and mandal levels that allow them to travel free of charge on APSRTC buses. The decision is likely to provide considerable financial relief to women commuters and increase their mobility and participation in the labor force.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced this at the “First Step Towards Good Governance” event. He reiterated his government’s determination to work towards women’s welfare and that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has always given the utmost importance to women-oriented reforms. He also mentioned previous efforts such as giving property rights to women and implementing the “Talli Ki Vandanam” scheme to honor mothers.
In spite of financial and logistical challenges, the Chief Minister promised that the free travel scheme will be implemented without any delay on Independence Day. “This is a vow we have promised to the women of Andhra Pradesh, and we will fulfill it irrespective of the challenges,” he added.
But the decision raised eyebrows among auto and taxi operators, who are worried about a reduction in their daily revenues because of possible loss of passengers. Rebutting this concern, Chandrababu Naidu accepted the problem and announced that a parallel welfare scheme for transport staff is under consideration.
As a recognition of the fact that lakhs of families rely on the private transport industry, the Chief Minister stated that the state government is interested in making sure that they do not suffer financially. He promised that compensation will be extended to stranded drivers, with a special support policy being made public on August 15, during the same time when the women’s bus travel scheme would be launched.
This balanced strategy by the AP government is being viewed as a considerate step — seeking to empower women at the same time without jeopardizing the livelihoods of auto and taxi drivers who are an integral part of the state’s transportation ecosystem.
Both transport workers and women commuters are waiting for August 15 with great expectations of inclusive growth and social wellbeing as the state prepares for the double launch.