Gandhinagar, Aug 28 — More than 2,254 women in Gandhinagar travelled free on the city’s e-buses on Friday as the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) introduced a special fare waiver for women on Raksha Bandhan, allowing them to travel to meet their brothers without paying for a ticket.
The civic body said the initiative was introduced to facilitate convenient, affordable and safe travel for women on the festival.
"The arrangement was made under the guidance of the Municipal Commissioner, with the corporation’s transport department maintaining regular services across all designated routes to handle the festival rush," officials said.
According to figures recorded during the day, 6,381 passengers used Gandhinagar’s e-bus service, of whom around 2,254 were women who travelled without purchasing tickets.
A further 202 young children accompanying the women were also allowed to travel free.
The corporation said buses continued operating on various routes until late at night, and the number of women and children who benefited from the fare-free facility was therefore expected to rise to around 3,000 to 3,200.
The special arrangement came as women travelled across the city for Raksha Bandhan, which was celebrated on August 28 this year.
The festival traditionally sees sisters travel to meet their brothers and tie rakhis, making transport an important part of the day’s movement.
"Regular bus operations were maintained during the festive rush, and passengers did not face inconvenience at bus stands. The transport department was tasked with ensuring that services remained smooth on all scheduled routes throughout the day," officials said.
The civic body said the initiative is intended to support women’s mobility while also providing a safe and affordable public transport option during the festival.
It said it would continue efforts to strengthen citizen-oriented services, including public transport, while giving priority to environmental protection and the well-being of city residents.
Gandhinagar’s e-bus service has also formed part of the city’s public transport network, with the Raksha Bandhan arrangement providing a temporary fare-free facility specifically for women and accompanying children on the festival day.