Kejriwal boards buses to get feedback about free-ride scheme
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal boarded public buses on Wednesday to get feedback from women passengers about his government's free-ride scheme.
According to official figures released by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) on Wednesday, over 4.77 lakh women availed pink tickets for free ride on the first day of the scheme on Tuesday.
"I boarded a few buses just now to get direct feedback from women. In addition to students, working women, women going for shopping, I also met a few who have to visit doc (doctor) regularly. They are also v (very) happy," Kejriwal said, in response to a tweet.
In another tweet, the chief minister said the presence of bus marshals deployed by the Aam Aadmi Party government was creating a sense of safety among women passengers and "fear amongst eve-teasers."
There are around 5,600 DTC and cluster buses where women can avail free-ride under the scheme through a pink ticket having face value of Rs 10 each. The government has set aside Rs 140 crore to implement the scheme.
A DTC official said the number of ticketed passengers on Tuesday was 13.65 lakh, of which 4.77 lakh pink tickets were issued to women passengers, who comprise 34.94 per cent of the total ridership.
The highest number of pink tickets -- 1.33 lakh -- were issued in the north zone of DTC, while the lowest number of pink tickets -- 1.03 lakh -- were issued in the east zone.
Launching the scheme on Tuesday on the occasion of 'Bhai Dooj', Kejriwal had hailed the move as "historic", saying it would increase women's role in Delhi's economy besides empowering them.
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UAE condemns 'terrorist' attack on Indian-flagged vessel off Oman coast
Dubai (PTI): The UAE has condemned a strike on an Indian-flagged vessel off the coast of Oman, calling it a "terrorist attack" and a "dangerous escalation" that threatens the stability of critical waterways.
The commercial vessel, which was sailing from Somalia, came under attack on Wednesday, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs.
All 14 crew members were rescued by Omani authorities, but it was not immediately known who carried out the strike, it said.
"The UAE strongly condemns terrorist attack on Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman," the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement issued on Thursday. "This attack constitutes a grave threat to the security of international navigation and represents a dangerous escalation aimed at undermining the stability of critical waterways."
The incident took place amid the fragile situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway close to the coast of Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world's energy supplies pass.
It has been severely disrupted by the conflict in West Asia that started on February 28, with the US and Israel launching joint attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory strikes.
The MoFA further said that the attack on the India-flagged vessel on Wednesday was a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which affirms the importance of freedom of navigation and rejects the targeting of commercial vessels or the obstruction of international maritime routes.
It emphasised that "targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of economic coercion or blackmail represent acts of piracy and constitute a direct threat to the stability of the region, its peoples, and global energy security".
The UAE expressed solidarity with India and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding the security and safety of its vessels and interests, the statement said.
Earlier, India had described the attack as "unacceptable".
At least two other Indian-flagged ships have been attacked since the conflict broke out.
