Tirupati, August 2025: The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has announced a major relief for pilgrims by extending the Stree Shakti Scheme to the Tirumala ghat road bus services. Under this initiative, women and transgender passengers can now travel free of cost from Tirupati to Tirumala in regular APSRTC buses.
This move, launched by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, is expected to benefit lakhs of devotees every month who use APSRTC services to reach Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala, one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in the world.
Free Travel from Tirupati to Tirumala
The Tirupati–Tirumala route is one of the busiest pilgrimage corridors in India, with APSRTC operating thousands of trips daily through Alipiri and Srivari Mettu ghat roads. Until now, passengers had to pay for their tickets, but under the APSRTC free travel scheme, women and transgender devotees can enjoy a hassle-free and cost-free journey to the holy shrine.
A Step Towards Inclusivity
By extending the Stree Shakti free bus travel scheme to transgender individuals as well, the Andhra Pradesh government has taken a significant step toward social inclusivity and gender equality. This ensures that spiritual tourism in Tirumala is more accessible to all sections of society, reducing both financial burden and travel difficulties for pilgrims.
Boost for APSRTC and Pilgrim Services
Officials highlighted that this decision will also encourage more people to use public transport to Tirumala, reducing traffic congestion on the ghat roads and supporting eco-friendly travel. The APSRTC free bus service is expected to see a sharp rise in passenger numbers as devotees prefer safe, government-run transport for their pilgrimage.
Welcomed by Devotees
The scheme has received widespread appreciation from devotees, women’s associations, and transgender groups, calling it a historic and devotee-friendly initiative. Many hailed the program as a milestone in making the spiritual journey to Tirumala Tirupati temple more convenient and inclusive.
With this extension of the APSRTC Stree Shakti Scheme, Andhra Pradesh has once again demonstrated its commitment to improving pilgrim welfare, accessibility, and inclusivity at the world-famous Tirumala temple.
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