Private buses in Ludhiana offering perks to combat government free travel scheme

Charanjit Singh, a private bus conductor on Ludhiana-Patiala route said, “Many times, families with female members refuse to board our buses, assuming that they will save the ticket charges of women commuters by travelling in government buses. So, we decided to match the offer and started waiving off women’s fares when they travel with family”

Private bus operators in Ludhiana, grappling with a steep decline in ridership and mounting losses after the Punjab government’s free travel scheme for women in state-run buses, are now shifting their strategy to stay competitive. In a bid to win back passengers, they are now adopting aggressive strategies to regain their passenger base, offering perks such as free tickets and heavy discounts to female commuters.

Many operators have started offering free travel for women accompanied by family members or male companions and discounts ranging from 30% to 50%. (Manish/HT)

Notably, many operators have started offering free travel for women accompanied by family members or male companions and discounts ranging from 30% to 50% to solo female travellers or women commuting in groups, to attract them to use their bus services.

Charanjit Singh, a private bus conductor on Ludhiana-Patiala route said, “Many times, families with female members refuse to board our buses, assuming that they will save the ticket charges of women commuters by travelling in government buses. So, we decided to match the offer and started waiving off women’s fares when they travel with family. Even if a woman is travelling with her husband or friend, we rebate her ticket cost. It’s the only way we can survive this tough competition,” he said.

In addition to this, private operators noted that the offers are part of a broader effort to stay relevant in a market where they say they are being squeezed out, not just by subsidies, but by rising operational costs.

Sukhchain Singh, a bus operator on the Ludhiana–Jalandhar route, said that the revenue has fallen drastically since the implementation of the free travel scheme.

He further noted, “Earlier, we used to earn around ₹10,000 per day. Now, it has dropped to ₹3,000. Even as our income shrinks, our expenses continue to rise, from fuel, toll taxes, licensing fees, maintenance, to staff salaries. It is getting unmanageable to sustain our operations without making such offers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Motor Union (PMU) a body that represents private bus operators in the state, has repeatedly urged the government to acknowledge the financial damage caused by the scheme and step in with relief. In February 2023, the union formally requested a bailout, citing severe losses.

PMU secretary RS Bajwa said the situation has worsened due to the combination of the free travel scheme, high taxes per kilometre, bus stand adda fees, and other charges. “After the free travel facility was introduced for women in both Punjab Roadways and PRTC buses, nearly 40% of our passengers, mostly women shifted to those buses, leaving us in the lurch,” Bajwa said.

He added that the previous government had promised to reduce the tax burden to offset the impact of the scheme, but the relief never came. “We are not against giving women free rides, but private operators must be given a fighting chance too.”

Despite repeated attempts, state transport commissioner Jaspreet Singh remained unavailable for comment.