Good News! Free metro, bus ride for women in Delhi, announces CM Arvind Kejriwal

The move comes ahead of the Assembly polls in Delhi scheduled to take place early next year, and is likely to benefit 30-33% of women in the national capital.

In a good news for women travelers in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that the women in Delhi will be able to ride for free on public transports. (PTI)

New Delhi: In some good news for women travelers in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that women in the national capital will be able to ride for free on public transports. While addressing a press conference on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party chief said on all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains, women will be allowed to travel free of cost. It had been earlier reported that the Delhi government was planning to do this and also cover the losses of DMRC, DTC and cluster buses incurred as a result of it. The proposal will be implemented within 2-3 months, he said. The move comes ahead of the Assembly polls in Delhi scheduled to take place early next year, and is likely to benefit 30-33% of women in the national capital. Delhi CM said the decision by the state government has been taken for women to give them 'safe travel experience' and 'to encourage them to use public transport'. "On all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains women will be allowed to travel free of cost so that they have a safe travel experience and can access modes of transport which they were not able to, due to high prices," Kejriwal said

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal: On all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains women will be allowed to travel free of cost so that they have a safe travel experience and can access modes of transport which they were not able to, due to high prices. pic.twitter.com/KVqEWDIJAS

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2019

Until yesterday, the Transport Department officials point out that while allowing free travel in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses run by the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal System(DIMTS) may not be difficult, it will be "challenging" to do so in Metro trains. However today, the Delhi CM clarified that the subsidy won't be imposed on anyone and that the decision will come into effect within 2-3 months. "Subsidy won't be imposed on anyone. There are several women who can afford these modes of transport. Those who can afford, can purchase tickets, they needn't take subsidy. We encourage those, who can afford, to buy tickets & not take subsidy so that others could benefit." "I've given one-week time to officials to make a detailed proposal - for both DTC & metro - on how & when can this be implemented. We're making an effort to start this within 2-3 months. We're also seeking suggestions from people, regarding implementation," Kejriwal further said. Notably, the Delhi government and the Centre are 50:50 equity partners in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. "Initially we'd told Centre not to increase prices of tickets, they didn't agree. We told them we've 50-50 partnership, let's give 50-50 subsidy on raised prices, they didn't agree. Delhi govt will bear the fare of what we're going to do. We needn't take approval for this," Kejriwal said.

Delhi CM: Initially we'd told Centre not to increase prices of tickets, they didn't agree. We told them we've 50-50 partnership, let's give 50-50 subsidy on raised prices, they didn't agree. Delhi govt will bear the fare of what we're going to do.We needn't take approval for this pic.twitter.com/4nlPbkUf9k

— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2019

The step will not lead to congestion in the Delhi Metro, as the daily ridership will increase by just one lakh. Currently, 25 lakh people travel by metro daily, CM said. He also said that his government accords top priority to women safety and has passed a tender to install 1.50 lakh CCTV cameras across the city.  "A survey for 70,000 CCTVs has been completed and these will be installed by December. A proposal for another 1.40 lakh cameras in under consideration," he said. As many as 1.50 lakh CCTV cameras will be installed in government-run schools by November, Kejriwal added. At a public meeting on Saturday, the chief minister had said his government was mulling making metro and bus travel free for women in Delhi "to encourage them to use public transport". He had also said his government is in touch with city's power regulator to bring down the fixed charge component of electricity bills.