As promised, the Congress government in Telangana on Friday issued an order, making it free of cost for women of all ages and transgenders to travel in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses with effect from Saturday.
Free bus travel for women is the first of the six guarantees of the Congress party made in its manifesto before the elections.
In its orders, Transport Department principal secretary Vani Prasad said girls and women of all ages, besides transgender persons domiciled in Telangana can travel free of cost on the TSRTC buses.
They can travel anywhere within the borders of Telangana in Palle Velugu and Express buses with effect from December 9.
Travel in inter-state Express and Palle Velugu buses will be free up to the borders of the state. For the subsequent travel, they have to pay for the rest of the journey.
The GO said the state government will reimburse the expenditure to TSRTC towards the chargeable fares which would have been collected on the basis of the actual distance travelled by women passengers.
The TSRTC vice-chairman and managing director has also been asked to make arrangements to develop a software-based Maha Lakshmi smart card in due course.
The scheme will be launched formally on Saturday.