Kerala free travel scheme hits row as commuters allege KSRTC rebranded Ordinary buses as City Fast services overnight
Commuters in Kerala have alleged that the state transport corporation is rebranding ordinary buses as 'City Fast' services to exclude them from a new free travel scheme for women and transgender persons. Authorities deny the claims, stating that the stickers were added to help passengers distinguish between different service tiers.
Why it matters
The controversy highlights the logistical and administrative challenges of implementing public welfare schemes in large-scale state-run transport systems.
Soon after the launch of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government’s flagship ‘Priyadarshini free travel scheme’ for women and transgender persons on ordinary buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), a controversy has hit the project, with a section of commuters and critics alleging that there have been concerted attempts by the public utility to rebrand ordinary buses as City Fast buses to bypass the scheme’s norms.
The article presents both the commuters' allegations and the official government response without taking a side.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in