Free Transport Service for Women

Recently, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister launched the Zero Ticket travel initiative, enabling free travel for women in smart city e-buses and JKSTRC buses across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This service is seen as a major development for women’s safety, but it has some major negative aspects that can’t be ignored. As far as women passengers are concerned, they share almost an equal passenger ratio with their counterparts. It will badly affect the business of private transporters who are directly dependent on female passengers. Since the unemployment rate in J&K is very high compared to other states of India, providing free services may lead to an increase in unemployment among males who have procured their commercial vehicles through bank finance.

The cost of subsidizing free rides may also put a strain on government budgets, leading to enhanced fare charges for transport services. The daily lone male commuter will also be affected by this free service as there is every possibility that fares for other passenger service buses, autorickhaws, and taxis may be hiked to compensate for the loss.

Had the government been serious about the welfare of the common people, they would have reduced the prices of essential commodities like gas, petrol, rice, electricity etc. which are pre-requisite for sustaining life in these hard times. Reducing the prices of these items would benefit all the masses irrespective of gender.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir should focus on fixing nominal charges for different medical tests in government hospitals for those patients who are suffering from deadly diseases as medical expenses have pushed poor families into debt. Providing such facilities in government hospitals for poor people is essential and morally justifiable.

Providing free bus services for women may be seen as a short-term solution that does not address the deeper issues which common people have been facing due to high inflation.