Harshita Jamba

In 2019, Delhi introduced India’s first fare-free public transport (FFPT) scheme, enabling women to travel for free in government buses. The scheme aimed to empower women by providing safer public transport. Delhi’s FFPT scheme has drawn a mixed response from citizens, experts, and policymakers. This working paper presents an in-depth examination of the FFPT scheme’s effects on female bus users in Delhi.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted public transportation as an essential service for the functioning of all cities. But especially for many women, the closures and general instability of public transit systems have meant loss of access to services and customers they rely on every day. In general, women tend to rely on public transportation more than any other household member, from buying food to attending to childcare to employment.

The fear of Covid-19 has led to a shift in modal preferences and commuter behaviour in cities. While more men are likely to move to private vehicles, fewer women have access to personal modes of mobility. Daily travel budgets for women are also lower compared to men. The ongoiCovid-19 pandemic is posing a real threat of limited mobility for women in the city. Besides, there is a good chance that changes in transport behaviour during the pandemic might be permanent.