Reservation for men likely in TSRTC buses

The RTC is considering different options, including introducing reservations for men in buses, allotment of seats for elderly and students, and special buses for men, if possible.

Hyderabad: In what could be swapped roles, men travelling in TSRTC buses could soon find seats reserved for them or even ‘Men’s Special’ services being operated! Given the response to free bus travel for women under the Maha Lakshmi scheme, which has buses registering a 20 per cent rise in occupancy rate, the TSRTC is apparently forced to consider options to cater to male passengers.

Amid the sharp rise in the number of women using the buses to commute, there have been frequent instances of men, the elderly and students facing difficulty in getting a seat. In this context, the RTC is considering different options, including introducing reservations for men in buses, allotment of seats for elderly and students, and special buses for men, if possible.

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As a majority of the buses are full of women, men are reportedly choosing private vehicles to RTC buses. It is learnt that the developments were brought to the attention of the corporation’s Managing Director, VC Sajjanar, by senior officials and bus conductors. In this context, the RTC has focused on the necessary routes and running special buses for men at special times.

Apart from this, it is also working on the allotment of seats for men and especially for the elderly. It is also planning on plying buses on alternative routes or special services to women. Discussions are under way to provide some special services to students and also bring in some kind of reservation in buses to fairly accommodate men as well, an official said. “As far as special buses for men is concerned, it could be not possible right given our fleet limitations,” the official said.

Occupancy in the buses has increased with the implementation of the free travel scheme for women. According to estimates, the ratio of women passengers has gone up from 69 per cent to 89 per cent. Earlier, 12 lakh to 14 lakh women passengers used to travel in RTC buses every day and the numbers have risen to 30 lakh.