In an attempt to provide security to women in the State Capital, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Thursday launched special buses exclusively for women commuters.
RMC Mayor Asha Lakra flagged off the bus service from Kutchery Chowk. The two buses are plying between Kutchery Chowk and Rajendra Chowk, a 4.2 km stretch on Main Road. “The service will be available from 8am to 8.30pm every day,” said RMC deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya. “Kutchery Chowk to Rajendra Chowk is very crowded route and women in large numbers commuting in the route daily. To provide them safer commuting facility the civic body has started the bus service exclusive for women passengers,” said the Deputy Mayor.
RMC City Manager (Transport and Enforcement) Saurav Kumar Verma said initially the municipal body started with two buses and they would increase the number of buses during the festive season next month, depending on the response and feedback. “The 32-seater buses have women conductors and support staff and only the driver will be male. There is provision that at any cost men should not be allowed in the bus. In case anyone tries to enter by force, conductors have been told to inform the nearest traffic station or our enforcement teams,” said Verma. RMC has issued necessary directives to ensure that buses do not wait for passengers. “We have drawn up a schedule in such a manner that the entire 4.2km stretch will be covered in less than 25 minutes. The staff has been asked not to wait for long to ensure the buses are full. According to our estimates which suggest that nearly 70 per cent of e-rickshaw and city bus passengers are women and if we provide a good alternative, then the service will be commercially viable,” reasoned Verma.
The minimum fare for the ladies special buses will be Rs and maximum fare will Rs 10.
It is pertaining to mention here that the civic body banned the movement of e-rickshaws on Main Road and started launched 18 city buses on the same route earlier this month. Each city bus has capacity of 32 passengers.