In Ahmedabad, the Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) saw a huge turnout for its free‑ride program that ran during the festival of Diwali, from Dhanteras to Diwali. Nearly nine lakh passengers—almost 900,000—took advantage of the offer, which topped the city’s usual daily ridership of 550,000.
The free‑travel scheme was part of the city’s “Har Ghar Swadeshi – Ghar Ghar Swadeshi” campaign, which encourages residents to buy local products and makes holiday shopping easier. AMTS gave free rides on three days: October 18 (Dhanteras), October 19 (Kali Chaudas), and October 20 (Diwali). About 600,000 people rode the buses on the first two days, and another 300,000 used the service on Diwali.
Normally, AMTS offers free rides only to women on Raksha Bandhan and cuts fares for special events. This was the first time the whole city enjoyed free travel all day long, sparking higher commuter numbers and boosting the local economy.
Gujarat’s road network stretches roughly 74,500 km, covering national highways, state roads, and district lanes. The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) runs a fleet of over 8,000 buses, reaching 99 % of the state’s population. In urban areas, AMTS and the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) work together to serve millions of daily riders. The Ahmedabad Metro, which began operating in 2019, now covers more than 60 km and carries about 130,000 passengers each day.
To improve city mobility further, the state created the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) for Ahmedabad and Surat. UMTA will coordinate bus, metro, and other transit services to streamline travel in these fast‑growing cities.
Source: ianslive
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