Chandigarh 29 July 2025 : The free bus travel scheme for women in Punjab has led to a growing financial burden of around ₹1,100 crore on PRTC (Pepsu Road Transport Corporation) and Punbus. Introduced in 2021, the scheme has continued during the tenure of the Mann government.
So far, bills worth ₹840 crore have been generated under this scheme, but only ₹450 crore has been paid. According to Resham Singh Gill, President of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus, and PRTC Contract Workers Union, employees are not receiving their salaries on time, forcing them to consider protest actions such as road blockades.
Every month, women passengers in Punjab avail free travel worth ₹58 to ₹70 crore, but the lack of full reimbursement has resulted in a total pending amount of ₹1,100 crore for PRTC and Punbus. This financial crunch is affecting more than 70 small routes across several districts and villages in the state.
The Punjab government has stated that all bills and documents related to the women’s free travel scheme have been forwarded to the Finance Department, and payments will be released soon. Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar assured that once the payments are cleared, the department will purchase new buses, repair out-of-service vehicles, and carry out other pending infrastructure projects.
The situation highlights the financial challenges of implementing welfare schemes and the urgent need for timely reimbursement to maintain essential public services.
Summary:
Punjab’s AAP government spent ₹1,548 crore facilitating free bus travel for women. PRTC and Punbus face mounting financial stress, pending reimbursements exceeding ₹700 crore.