The senior citizens above 75 years of age will get the facility of travelling in ST buses free of cost, including Shivneri buses, to mark Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsava and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) entering in 75th years of its existence.
Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister, and Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, distributed certificates to senior citizens above 75 years of age for free travel at a function held in the committee hall of Maharashtra Legislature, Mumbai, on Friday to mark beginning of the scheme. They will get the facility of free travel in AC and sleeper coaches.
Moreover, the senior persons above the age of 65 years get 50 per cent concession in ST bus journey but now they would also get the facility of travelling in AC, sleeper coaches and Shivneri buses. The persons above 75 years of age will have to show aadhar card, pan card, election card, passport, driving license or identity card provided by the Central or State Governments to the conductor for availing the facility, informed Shekhar Channe, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, MSRTC.
MSRTC has registered 34, 88,000 smart cards of senior citizens. Of them 14, 69,000 cards are of persons above 75 years of age. The Chief Minister had announced during Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsava on August 16 that persons of 75 years would get the facility of free travel but the scheme began now. He gave away certificates to senior citizens for free travel in ST buses to Anandi Gurav, Ramesh Khade, Vijay Aundhe, Babaji Chiplunkar and Chandramohan Parab. Annasaheb Tekale, Vice-President of Akhil Bharatiya Jyeshtha Nagarik Mahasangh, was present.