EXPLAINED: What Is Delhi Governments Free Bus Pass Scheme And How Will It Work?

New Delhi: The Kejriwal-led AAP government recently launched a ‘free bus travel pass’ initiative as a Labour Day present to all construction employees in the national capital. The proposed programme will assist construction employees in reducing their costs associated with work-related travel within the city. Launching the ‘Free Bus Travel Pass’ initiative, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said there are 10 lakh construction workers registered with the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, and that this move will benefit all these workers. There are around 1.1 lakh construction workers in the national capital and given the capital’s long distances and the associated costs and time of travel, many workers are constrained to look for work close to their homes, or to live, at times with their families, in temporary makeshift accommodation on construction sites.Also Read - 5 Reasons Why Saudi Aramco Was Able To Overtake Apple Inc In M-Cap | Explained

Who can avail the ‘free bus travel pass’

Construction workers, including welders, mistris, labourers, porters, painters, fitters, blacksmiths, guards, concrete mixers, crane and pump operators, those engaged in polishing and tiling work, etc can avail the pass.

The pass will be valid for three months and will be renewable thereafter for another three months.

Workers who are registered with Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board will have to apply on the DTC’s website or go to one of 34 registration booths set up by the board across the city.

They can apply for either an e-pass or a paper pass, which will be delivered to the recipient within 3-4 days or a week depending on the type of pass.

NOTE: According to construction board officials, only 5-10 per cent of registered workers currently use buses to go to work, and no more than 2-5 per cent travel by the Metro. Also Read - Why Did Indian Rupee Fall To All-Time Low Against Dollar On Monday? | Explained

Will the free bus pass scheme drain govt resources?

According to a report in The Indian Express, The cost of an existing quarterly e-pass is Rs 2,280 for non-AC buses and Rs 2,850 for AC buses. A delivery charge of Rs 33 is levied in case a customer wants a paper pass delivered to her home. Also Read - Kerala Teen Dies After Eating Shigella Contaminated Chicken Shawarma. What You Should Know

“The government says there are 10 lakh registered construction workers in Delhi. So, theoretically, if all these workers apply for the scheme, the government’s subsidy bill for three months will be Rs 228-285 crore,” the official was quoted as saying in the report. “For the whole year, it will be four times that sum.”

The scheme will be funded entirely by the Delhi government, and as such there will be no financial implications for DTC.

“DTC will not face any losses. This is not the first travel subsidy scheme. Several subsidies and discounts are already provided to groups such as women, students, senior citizens, and others. DTC gets the revenue from the government,” another official said.

Which other groups can avail of these subsidies?

Students, journalists, senior citizens (older than 60), blind persons, and war widows are among the groups that get discounts between 80 and 85 per cent on monthly bus passes. For example, a monthly student all-route bus pass costs Rs 150, while, a general AC bus pass for a month costs Rs 1,000 and a non-AC pass costs Rs 850.

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