Samikhsya Bureau
After its poor show in the national capital in the recently concluded general elections, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party is considering to make metro and bus passes free for the women with an aim to woo the women voters ahead of the 2020 Assembly elections. The AAP failed to open its accounts in the national capital in the Lok Sabha polls.
While addressing a public meeting in New Delhi, its national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that in all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains, women commuters will be allowed to travel free of cost so that they can have a safe travel experience and access to modes of transport, which were not affordable earlier due to high prices.
Kejriwal said he has given one-week time to officials to make a detailed proposal on how and when can this decision be implemented.
He said the AAP government was making an effort to start this free travel within two to three months.
On losses, which would occur with the implementation of scheme, Kejriwal said that the AAP government would bear all the cost. Asked if the scheme can be availed by all women, he said: “Subsidy would not be imposed on anyone. There are several women who can afford these modes of transport. Those who can afford can purchase the tickets; they needn’t take subsidy. We encourage those, who can afford, to buy tickets and not take subsidy so that others could get benefit.”
In an apparent attack on the central government, the chief minister said that earlier the Delhi government had told the Union government not to increase the fare of tickets, but they didn’t agreed. “We suggested 50-50 partnership for sharing subsidy on increased prices so that prices does not increase, but in this offer, they did not agree. Since, AAP will bear the cost, we need not have to take permission,” Kejriwal said.
The move by Kejriwal elicited sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which won all the seven Lok Sabha seats of Delhi in the recently concluded general elections.
BJP Delhi chief Manoj Tiwari hit out at Kejriwal’s announcement of free metro and bus travel for women in the National Capital, and called it a ‘futile’ attempt to buy votes ahead of the assembly elections. Addressing the media persons in New Delhi, Tiwari, who was elected from North East Delhi constituency, said, “Kejriwal is making a futile attempt to buy voters ahead of state polls. Now Kejriwal will tell Delhi citizens, one bus will be at your front door,” he said.
Delhi Congress chief and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit refrained from criticising Kejriwal, but wondered whether the scheme for free travel by women in Metro and DTC buses was implementable. “‘Let me see if Kejriwal manages to implement the scheme, then I will give my reaction to it,” she said.
Women in the national capital on Monday, however, by and large welcomed the move by Kejriwal. Several women said it would benefit them, and save on their monthly cost incurred on transportation. But many raised questions about its intention and timing.
Manisha, a school teacher said: “It is a convenient step for women. As women, we, the household runners, would now be able to save money, from our home budget. More and more women would use Delhi transport for commuting and hopefully personal transport would now get a well deserved rest.”
Sunita, a Delhi University professor said, “This seems like vote bank politics. At the end of the day, it will cause burden to the common man, including working women. Kejriwal is not going to pay from his own pocket. He will use people’s money. The passenger load will increase on metro and quality may fall.”
Manish Singh, a banker working in the city, appreciated the reported move by the Delhi chief minister keeping security concerns of the women particularly those living in isolated and shady areas. “However, the scheme has raised eyebrows as it is announced just after Lok Sabha polls in which, theAAP was miserably trounced by the BJP. Why this step in 2019, and not in 2015?” she asked.
Siddharth, a college student said: “This is a mere vote bank politics of the AAP government. Why bring such policies before the elections only. It would be better if the condition of DTC buses is improved.”
