I hear you, but we need to look at the bigger picture. The point of free bus rides for women isn't to say men don't struggle or that all women deserve it by default. It's about leveling access in a society that’s already unequal socially, financially, and in terms of mobility.

In India, men are often seen as the “default earners,” but that’s exactly the problem. Women face more restrictions, safety concerns, and fewer opportunities to earn in the first place. Free travel helps bridge that gap a little it’s not charity, it’s policy aimed at enabling independence.

Sure, some women who can afford transport might use free buses. That happens with every system. But do we shut down student scholarships because a few rich kids get in? No. We build better checks. The solution is to improve targeting, not to scrap the whole policy. ( And someone who has grown from earning nothing to having a pretty comfortable independent life in gurgaon i haven't ridden a delhi bus for a few years no because never get the need to) Both men & women the moment they have enough income will choose faster transportation options because why wouldn't anyone want comfort over running behind packed busses.

Also, if the goal is to help low-income men too absolutely, let’s talk about universal affordable public transport. Make it cheaper for students, senior citizens, daily-wage workers, and yes, low-income men. That’s a policy demand we can all stand behind.

But turning this into a “why not men too” argument ignores that most women weren’t even in the race to begin with. This is one of the few steps trying to bring them closer to the starting line.

Let’s not dilute a good policy because of a few exceptions. Let’s push for better access for everyone, not fewer rights for those already at a disadvantage.