No Free Bus To Tirumala, Thoughtful Decision

The Chandrababu Naidu government is preparing to launch another one of its Super Six promises the Stree Shakti scheme from the 15th of this month. This initiative will allow women to travel free of cost in RTC buses across Andhra Pradesh. However, one key route is excluded: buses going to Tirumala.

This exemption has triggered criticism from YSR Congress leaders, who accuse the government of depriving women devotees and protecting RTC revenue. They argue that women often travel in large numbers to Tirumala, and leaving out this route is unfair. But this argument ignores ground realities.

Buses from Tirupati to Tirumala are already packed beyond capacity. Allowing free travel here could worsen the chaos. Imagine a scenario where women from one family can board freely, but male relatives cannot find a seat. Such imbalance could lead to disputes, overcrowding, and even stampedes. The current crowd management by both the Government and TTD is already stretched — adding free travel could push it to breaking point.

Keeping Tirumala buses out of the Stree Shakti scheme is a precautionary step, not discrimination. If a tragic incident occurred due to overcrowding, the same critics would be the first to blame the government. Standing firm on this decision is in the interest of safety and smooth pilgrimage management.

The Stree Shakti scheme will cost the state around ₹3,182 crore annually, reimbursed to the RTC. Passenger occupancy is expected to jump from the current 69% to 94% after rollout, with an additional 10.84 lakh women passengers daily. This is a massive leap — and Tirumala’s fragile travel system simply cannot handle that extra load.