A bus that offered free travel to men fined for permit violations in Kerala

The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) on Friday (July 3, 2026) fined a private bus operator that attracted attention after its owner allegedly announced free travel for men in response to the ‘Priyadarshini’ free travel scheme for women in KSRTC buses. The operator was fined for allegedly canceling a scheduled service in violation of permit conditions.

The fine was imposed on the operator of a private bus plying on the Aluva-Manjaly route. According to MVD officials, regular passengers complained that the bus had canceled the afternoon service. An investigation by the department found that the bus failed to make its scheduled run between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Officials said the cancellation of the regular service was a violation of permit conditions, after which a fine of ₹7,500 was imposed on the operator.

The bus owner reportedly told officials that the afternoon trip was canceled due to poor sponsorship and to avoid financial losses, despite offering the men free travel. Private bus operators have objected to the Priyadarshini scheme citing financial losses as more women passengers opt for KSRTC buses.

Published – 04 Jul 2026 0:04 IST