Good News! Free Metro, bus rides for women

With Delhi's Assembly election which is scheduled for February 2020, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced free Delhi Metro and DTC bus rides for women in the capital city.

According to India Today reports, the expenses of the free ride scheme will be borne by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi.

Arvind Kejriwal announced this scheme at a press conference stating that the scheme to provide free Delhi Metro and DTC rides so that women have safe travel experience in Delhi. "On all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains, women will be allowed to travel free of cost so that they have safe travel experience and can access modes of transport which they were not able to, due to high prices," he said.

Further clarifying that subsidy will not be imposed on anyone, Arvind Kejriwal said that the free ride scheme is voluntary. "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 and not take subsidy so that others could benefit."

The move, which is yet to be cleared by the centre, will be launched in three months, said Kejriwal, adding that it would cost the Delhi government Rs. 700 crore this year. On whether he needed to run the plan by the Centre, given Delhi's partial statehood status.