‘Free bus rides to push up number of female commuters'
The report, 'Beyond Free Rides: A Multi-State Assessment of Women's Bus Fare Subsidy Schemes in Urban India', released by the Sustainable Mobility Network, anchored by Purpose and Asar, is a coalition of 20 organisations, including SwitchON Foundation in Kolkata. The study by Nikore Associates is the first-of-its-kind multi-state analysis of women-focused fare subsidy programmes. Based on over 2,500 surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews across 10 cities in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Bengal and Maharashtra, the study highlights the strong demand for affordable and reliable public transport.
The data highlights how free or subsidised bus fare schemes could change travel behaviour in Durgapur and Kolkata across seven key parameters. In both cities, the largest shift is seen in 'shift to buses' (S1), with 27.8% in Kolkata and 25% in Durgapur, indicating a strong potential to move commuters towards public transport if fares are waived. Travel for work/education (S2) also shows a notable rise in Kolkata (22.5%) compared to Durgapur (13.3%), suggesting greater work or education-related mobility benefits in the state capital.
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"A well-designed fare support scheme can transform these trade-offs into safer, more regular, and dignified bus travel, especially for low-income groups," said Vinay Jaju of SwitchON Foundation.
"When women are already dependent on buses despite financial strain, it shows how impactful fare support can be," said Mitali Nikore, founder and chief economist at Nikore Associates. "Many domestic workers say bus fares consume nearly a third of their monthly income, leaving little for food or education," said Nupur Sarkar of the Civilian Welfare Foundation.
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