Exploring the impact of women’s free bus services on women’s mobility and quality of life

Women’s urban mobility in developing nations is constrained by financial, safety, and accessibility restrictions, which limit access to education, job, and healthcare while lowering overall quality of life. In December 2023, the Telangana government introduced the Maha Lakshmi Free Bus Scheme, which provides free public transportation to women and transgender people. This study uses Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach to evaluate the scheme’s short-term impacts in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) region. A mixed-methods approach was used, which included survey data from 410 women, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and GIS-based Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) analysis. The findings show a significant modal shift toward public buses and a 68% reduction in average travel costs, with the highest gains reported among students, informal workers, and low-income individuals. According to SEM findings, the program influences perceived quality of life through important pathways such as economic empowerment, safety and security, and access to education. However, spatial discrepancies exist, with center zones improving more than outlying zones due to gaps in last-mile connectivity and awareness. The study suggests that fare-free transit enhances women’s capabilities but requires targeted interventions addressing spatial justice and service quality to fully realize its transformative potential.