On February 1, the Telangana Road and Transport Services (TSRTC) introduced an unprecedented Men-Only bus service, specifically catering to men along the Ibrahimpatnam-LB Nagar route. A pioneering initiative globally, this service aims to accommodate the significant crowds of male students commuting to colleges during peak RTC bus hours. Currently in a pilot phase, the Men-Only service operates with a single bus shuttling between LB Nagar and Ibrahimpatnam, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The success of this trial may lead to the inclusion of more routes.
This exclusive service responds to the escalating number of women using TSRTC buses after the launch of the Maha Lakshmi Scheme on December 9, 2023. The scheme, initiated by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, provides free bus rides for women, girls, and transgender individuals on state-owned RTC buses, making Telangana the sixth state in India to offer such complimentary services for women. The introduction of the Men-Only service is strategically timed to meet the specific transportation needs of engineering college students along the Ibrahimpatnam-LB Nagar route. A recent survey by the Helping Hand Foundation indicates a substantial increase in women’s ridership on TSRTC buses, surging from 52% to 81% within a month of the Maha Lakshmi Scheme’s implementation.
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