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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Amrit Dhillon in New Delhi

Ticket to freedom: free bus rides for women spark joy for millions in Karnataka

People looking from bus window in Karnataka india
Women in the India state of Karnataka can now board a bus any time, any number of times to any part of the state.
Photograph: Travelib India/Alamy

In the regimented life of many Indian women, the idea of getting out of the house and hopping on a bus to take a break resides in the realm of fantasy. First they need permission, and then money for the fare.

But the state of Karnataka in the country’s south is changing that. While some of the state’s 35 to 40 million women will still need permission to use public transport, they won’t need to ask for funds to cover the cost of a ticket.

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