Ahead of 'Free Travel' pledges, KSRTC begins gender-based data collection

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is set to roll out a new ‘gender ticketing’ feature across its Electronic Ticket Machines (ETMs) starting tomorrow. Under this updated system, conductors will be required to log whether a passenger is male or female at the point of sale.

The initiative is widely viewed as a data-gathering exercise to determine the exact volume of female commuters using the state’s public transport network. This statistical push comes in the wake of the UDF’s ‘Indira Guarantee’ campaign promise, which pledges free bus travel for women should the coalition return to power.

To ensure a smooth transition, the KSRTC IT wing is conducting emergency training sessions for staff to master the new interface. KSRTC Managing Director Dr. P.S. Pramoj Shankar confirmed that unit officers at the depot level have been tasked with supervising the rollout to ensure total compliance.