Chandigarh, March 21— Punjab’s free bus travel scheme for women is weighing heavily on the state’s transport finances, with costs nearly doubling the annual budget allocation.
Against the ₹450 crore allocated for the initiative, the state transport undertakings—Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), Punbus, and Punjab Roadways—are incurring expenses of around ₹800 crore.
According to official records from the Punjab Transport Department, over three lakh women avail the facility daily, with nearly 11 crore benefiting during the 2023-24 fiscal year.
A senior government official said the scheme is draining the transport sector, as dues worth over ₹700 crore remain unpaid by the state government. “The matter has been taken up with the finance department,” the official added.
To cover the shortfall, the government is making additional budgetary provisions through the Social Security and Women and Child Development Department.
The growing number of women using the free bus service, especially from lower-income groups, has led to mounting dues and shrinking revenue from bus passes.
Launched in 2021 under the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, the scheme currently requires women to present their Aadhaar card as identification. Conductors record the unique ID number into the electronic ticketing machine.
However, a proposed move by the transport department to introduce smart cards for real-time data tracking is still pending with the state government, a senior functionary confirmed.
