Stree Shakti Completes One Year, 87 Crore Free Journeys by Women

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government’s Stree Shakti free bus travel scheme for women is completing one year on August 15, marking a significant milestone in women’s mobility and economic empowerment. Launched with the objective of reducing the financial burden of daily travel, the scheme has received an overwhelming response, with an average of 24 lakh women travelling free every day on APSRTC buses. Since its implementation, women across Andhra Pradesh have made approximately 87 crore journeys under the scheme. The government is providing a subsidy of around Rs. 8.53 crore every day towards women’s travel, with the total expenditure reaching Rs. 3,095 crore during the first year. Women’s share of RTC passengers rises sharply The impact of Stree Shakti is reflected in the substantial increase in women’s participation in APSRTC services. Before the scheme was introduced, women accounted for around 40 per cent of total APSRTC passengers. This share has now increased to 62 per cent. The number of women travelling on APSRTC buses every day has also increased significantly, from approximately 9.47 lakh before the scheme to 24 lakh at present. Occupancy on buses covered under the scheme has reached around 93 per cent, indicating strong public response and increased utilisation of public transport. Free travel across five categories of buses Stree Shakti is being implemented across five categories of APSRTC buses — Express, Ultra Pallevelugu, Pallevelugu, Metro Express and City Ordinary. Of the total 9,978 APSRTC buses, around 7,631 buses, or 76 per cent, are being utilised for the scheme. The government has also extended the free travel facility to women travelling on special bus services operated to temples. Women can avail themselves of the facility by simply showing their Aadhaar card, enabling them to travel across the state without having to bear the cost of bus fares. Supporting education, employment and livelihoods The scheme has gone beyond reducing travel expenses and has emerged as an important support system for women’s access to education, employment, healthcare, business and other essential services. Women travelling to colleges, those commuting from villages to nearby towns for employment and small businesses, and those visiting places of worship have particularly benefited from the initiative. The savings on daily transportation costs have provided women and their families with greater financial flexibility. The Andhra Pradesh government has also highlighted that the state has extended free travel to women across five categories of APSRTC buses. Similar schemes in Telangana and Karnataka are being implemented across four categories of buses. Possible reduction in rural road accidents Officials have also brought to the government’s attention a noticeable decline in road accidents in rural areas following the implementation of Stree Shakti. With more women and other passengers shifting from shared autos and private vehicles to APSRTC buses, dependence on smaller modes of transport has reduced in several areas. This shift is estimated to have contributed to a decline in road accidents, particularly in rural regions. Chief Minister to interact with beneficiaries To mark one year of Stree Shakti, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will interact with women beneficiaries as part of statewide programmes being organised under the theme ‘One Year of Stree Shakti’. Following the Independence Day celebrations at the Capital Parade Ground, the Chief Minister will participate in a special programme and travel by bus from the Parade Ground to the Chief Minister’s Camp Office along with beneficiaries of the scheme. At the Camp Office, the Chief Minister will participate in a high tea with women beneficiaries and interact with them about the implementation of Stree Shakti, the benefits they have received and their experiences over the past year. The Chief Minister is also expected to seek feedback and suggestions from the beneficiaries on the scheme, with the interaction aimed at understanding its impact on women’s daily lives and identifying further areas for improvement. With 87 crore journeys in its first year and 24 lakh women benefiting every day, Stree Shakti has emerged as a major public transport initiative aimed at improving women’s mobility, reducing household travel expenses and supporting their participation in education, employment and economic activities across Andhra Pradesh.