Free ride for women on state-run buses in Bengal begins today

Kolkata: The initiative to provide free rides for all women on state-operated buses in West Bengal, as pledged by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its pre-election Sankalp Patra (election manifesto), commenced on Monday across the entire state.

However, as per the directions of the state transport department, women willing to avail of this free-ride facility will have to mandatorily carry any of the identity documents specified by the state government that proves her identity as citizens of West Bengal.

The list of the identity documents specified by the state transport department includes Aadhaar, EPIC card, Grameen Rozgar Guarantee Card, Ayushman Bharat Health Card, driving license, PAN Card, passport, pension document with photograph, service identity cards with photograph issued to employees by Central or state governments, public sector undertakings and public limited companies, official identity card issued by schools/colleges/universities and any other ID card issued by Government of West Bengal along with recent photograph of the beneficiary.

The woman concerned will have to show any one of the above identity documents to avail the free-ride benefit.

As the system started in the morning, the woman, after furnishing any one of the identity documents listed above, was provided with a “zero-value” ticket by the bus conductors.

This facility is available both in short-distance and long-distance buses. The conductors had also received training from the state transport department on how to handle the system and provide “zero-value” tickets to women furnishing any one of the listed identification documents.

This current system of furnishing any one of the listed identity documents to avail the benefits of free ride will continue for some time.

Later, one smart card (digital with QR code) with the photo and name of the beneficiary will be issued to each woman on application, to be submitted to the BDO/SDO. Till the smart card is issued, the documents from the mentioned list can be used to avail the facility.

IANS