The Delhi government on Wednesday launched “Free Bus Travel Pass” initiative as a Labor Day present for all construction employees in the national capital. The proposed programme will assist construction employees in reducing their costs associated with work-related travel within the city.

“Our construction workers are builders of the nation and play a crucial part in the country’s economic prosperity,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while launching the scheme and handing over the passes to the 100 construction employees.

Sisodia added, “In Delhi, only a few construction workers get accommodation near their work site while many others travel to the work site or labour chowk from the outskirts of the national capital. This comes with a heavy price that they have to pay while travelling for work. To end travel-related woes of construction workers, the Kejriwal government has launched a Free Bus Travel Pass scheme for them. Now they will get free passes and rides to work in DTC buses all across the city.”

He went on to say that construction employees can register for free passes on the DTC website or at one of the 34 registration booths set up by the construction worker’s welfare board, and that passes will be issued to them shortly after.

They won’t have to rush around the offices to get the pass or waste their entire working day waiting in line, added Sisodia.

He also urged construction workers to assist other members of the community in registering with the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (DBOCWWB) so that they can take advantage of government welfare programmes.

Notably, Delhi has 12 lakh construction workers, 10 lakh of whom are registered with the DBOCWWB.

“I travel from Narela to Gurgaon for work by bus and metro. It costs me 150-200 Rs per day, which is nearly half of what I earn per day. In such a situation, I am unable to make any plans for my family. A free travel pass from the Delhi government will now assist me in saving for the future,” said Md Shahood Alam, construction worker

Another construction worker, Md Shamshad said, “I work as a painter and a POP worker. My everyday commute to work across the city costs me around Rs 3600 per month. When I didn’t have enough money, I had to stay at the construction site. With this pass, I can now travel back home for free every day.”