Guwahati’s once-celebrated Pink Bus service for women and senior citizens has quietly vanished from the city’s streets, leaving a void in safe and inclusive public transport. The scheme, launched in early 2021 with 25 dedicated buses, promised free and secure travel for vulnerable groups. Today, most of those buses are gone, and no clear public explanation has been offered.
Meanwhile, over 1,500 kilometres away, Lucknow is setting a contrasting example of festival-season planning and public service. Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the Uttar Pradesh transport department is providing free bus rides for women from 8 to 10 August, allowing each passenger to bring a companion. This initiative has been backed by a full deployment of fleet, additional hired buses, on-road safety checks, and operational incentives for staff, ensuring service efficiency during peak demand.Public transport experts note that the scale of operations differs significantly between the two cities. Lucknow, with a municipal footprint of over 2,500 square kilometres and stronger financial resources, can sustain large-scale special service schemes.
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Guwahati, in contrast, faces operational hurdles including narrow roads, chronic congestion, and a more compact urban spread of just over 200 square kilometres factors that may have complicated the viability of the Pink Bus programme.The decline of Guwahati’s Pink Bus fleet was rapid. Within a year of launch, the number of operational buses had dropped to just four, confined to limited routes such as Khanapara to Jalukbari. Officials cited low ridership as a primary reason, yet commuters report that lack of route coverage, inconsistent service, and poor promotion contributed to its underuse. The absence of transparent communication from transport authorities has further deepened public discontent.
While Guwahati has recently introduced 100 new electric buses with modern safety systems, air conditioning, and intelligent transport management, these vehicles serve all commuters without dedicated provision for women or senior citizens. Environmental advocates welcome the shift towards zero-emission fleets, but social mobility experts warn that green progress should not come at the expense of inclusivity.In a city where public transport already struggles to meet the needs of women and elderly passengers, the disappearance of the Pink Bus scheme is more than a lost project it is a setback for equitable urban mobility. Unless the new transport vision includes targeted services for vulnerable groups, Guwahati risks building a modern, sustainable fleet that still leaves sections of its population underserved.
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Lucknow Free Bus Rides Contrast Guwahati Scheme Loss
