<p>Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) will soon introduce reservations on long-distance non-premium buses to check overcrowding following the launch of the free travel scheme for women.</p>.<p>Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy disclosed this during an interview with <em>Prajavani</em> Video on Monday.</p>.<p>According to Reddy, things could also improve if women did not crowd buses all at once. "Our bus crew can manage the situation if 10 or 15 travellers are standing. But what can they do when 30 to 35 people travel standing?" he asked.</p>.<p>Reddy clarified that reservations on long-distance buses would also remain free for women. "We won't charge beneficiaries. Guidelines will be issued in a day or two," he said.</p>.<p>The minister dismissed suggestions that RTCs would face losses because of the scheme. He cited Covid and high fuel prices for their current financial condition and believed things could turn around.</p>.<p>Separately, Reddy said the RTCs would procure 4,000 buses in the current financial year under a policy to replace old buses and augment the fleet.</p>.<p>In a previous statement, the KSRTC said the four RTCs would procure 1,894 buses in 2023-24. The previous year, they procured only 521 buses, taking their fleet to 23,989.</p>.<p>Reddy's comments on the reservation came on a day the RTCs disclosed that women outnumbered men on government buses, the first time since the launch of the Shakti scheme.</p>.<p>As many as 51.48 lakh women travelled by RTC buses on June 18, constituting 52% of total passenger numbers, which stood at 97.43 lakh. They were issued tickets worth Rs 13.99 crore. In all, 3.63 crore women have availed themselves of the free bus travel scheme at a cost of Rs 84.28 crore.</p>
<p>Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) will soon introduce reservations on long-distance non-premium buses to check overcrowding following the launch of the free travel scheme for women.</p>.<p>Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy disclosed this during an interview with <em>Prajavani</em> Video on Monday.</p>.<p>According to Reddy, things could also improve if women did not crowd buses all at once. "Our bus crew can manage the situation if 10 or 15 travellers are standing. But what can they do when 30 to 35 people travel standing?" he asked.</p>.<p>Reddy clarified that reservations on long-distance buses would also remain free for women. "We won't charge beneficiaries. Guidelines will be issued in a day or two," he said.</p>.<p>The minister dismissed suggestions that RTCs would face losses because of the scheme. He cited Covid and high fuel prices for their current financial condition and believed things could turn around.</p>.<p>Separately, Reddy said the RTCs would procure 4,000 buses in the current financial year under a policy to replace old buses and augment the fleet.</p>.<p>In a previous statement, the KSRTC said the four RTCs would procure 1,894 buses in 2023-24. The previous year, they procured only 521 buses, taking their fleet to 23,989.</p>.<p>Reddy's comments on the reservation came on a day the RTCs disclosed that women outnumbered men on government buses, the first time since the launch of the Shakti scheme.</p>.<p>As many as 51.48 lakh women travelled by RTC buses on June 18, constituting 52% of total passenger numbers, which stood at 97.43 lakh. They were issued tickets worth Rs 13.99 crore. In all, 3.63 crore women have availed themselves of the free bus travel scheme at a cost of Rs 84.28 crore.</p>
