The Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) will issue free bus passes to senior citizens living in the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) area, while new routes from Shela towards ISKCON and Thaltej have also been introduced to improve connectivity for residents of the expanding western suburbs.
According to a report by Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad, the decision to provide free travel passes follows instructions and guidance from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The passes are intended to allow eligible senior citizens residing in the AUDA area to travel without paying fares on AMTS buses.
Applicants will have to submit valid proof of residence to establish that they live within the AUDA area. Documents listed in the report include an Aadhaar card, electricity bill or property tax bill. The pass will be issued after the required verification and application process is completed.
The measure addresses a practical barrier faced by older residents who depend on public transport for access to healthcare, markets, government offices and social services. The report does not specify the application locations, the duration of the passes, whether all AMTS routes will be covered or the process for renewal. These details will need to be confirmed through the transport authority’s implementation instructions.
Alongside the concession for senior citizens, AMTS has started new bus routes connecting Shela with the ISKCON area and Thaltej. Shela and surrounding neighbourhoods have seen substantial residential and commercial development, but public transport access has not always expanded at the same pace as the built-up area.
The new routes are expected to provide residents with connections towards S.G. Highway and other important parts of Ahmedabad. For people living in areas where private vehicles, app-based cabs or intermediate public transport are the main alternatives, direct bus services can reduce the difficulty and cost of reaching established urban centres.
The two announcements link affordability and network expansion in the same part of the city. Free passes can reduce the cost of mobility for senior citizens, while new routes can improve access for the wider population in Shela and nearby developing areas. Their effectiveness will depend on the frequency of services, stop locations, interchange options and how easily residents can complete the pass application process.
AMTS is yet to publicly detail the operational schedule, route numbers, application centres and commencement timeline for issuing the senior-citizen passes in the available report. Further instructions from the transport service or the relevant authorities will determine how residents can apply and when the benefit becomes available.
