Continuing an annual tradition, women in Himachal Pradesh will be given the gift of free travel on Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses on November 11 for the festival of Bhai Dooj. Under this arrangement, women will be able to journey on HRTC buses without paying any fare from sunrise until sunset. However, this benefit will remain valid strictly within the territorial boundaries of Himachal Pradesh. In Sirmaur district, the HRTC management has wrapped up all necessary preparations to implement this special transport facility smoothly.
Operational Limits and Routes
Speaking to the media, HRTC Nahan bus stand in-charge Anil Kumar stated that women will experience zero-fare travel on state transport buses on the auspicious day of Bhai Dooj. The free ride window will operate strictly between sunrise and sunset. This concession is confined exclusively within the borders of Himachal Pradesh, meaning that women traveling on HRTC buses crossing over into other states will be required to pay the standard fare for the out-of-state portion of the journey. He noted that approximately 180 HRTC routes are operated across Sirmaur district, anticipating that a massive number of women will utilize this service during the festival. The transport administration has urged female passengers to make the most of the free travel within the designated time frame and to cooperate fully with the corporation staff during their journey.
Additional Concessions and Holiday Rules
It is worth noting that in Himachal Pradesh, women are similarly exempted from paying fares on public buses during Raksha Bandhan. Moreover, the state provides a permanent 50 percent discount on bus fares to women travelers, though obtaining a Him Card is mandatory to avail of that ongoing concession. Additionally, women in the state are granted a government holiday specifically on the day of Bhai Dooj, an off that applies exclusively to female employees and residents.
