As per the annual tradition, CM Ashok Gehlot has granted permission for women to travel for free on Raksha Bandhan using roadways buses. On Wednesday, August 30, in celebration of Raksha Bandhan, women will have the opportunity to travel free of charge on all roadways buses within the state boundaries. However, it seems that women might not fully avail the benefit of this complimentary travel option this time. The reason behind this limitation is the mismatch between the roadway's designated free travel period and the auspicious timing of the occasion.

During this particular instance, the optimal time for tying the Raksha Sutra falls predominantly during the nighttime, encompassing a duration of 10 hours and 3 minutes. However, owing to the influence of Bhadra's shadow, the act of fastening protection threads is restricted during daylight hours. Notably, the window for free travel on roadways buses extends from 12 midnight on the evening preceding Rakhi to 12 midnight on Rakhi day.

Typically, women tend to refrain from traveling during the nighttime. Consequently, it becomes challenging for women to fully avail the advantages of the scheme for both their outbound and return journeys. The time allocated for the complimentary service concludes merely 3 hours after the auspicious Muhurta for tying Rakhi. This topic has sparked discussions among roadways personnel and the women who make use of this facility. 

Every year more than 6 lakh women travel

For the past 3-4 years, over 600,000 women, primarily from rural and underprivileged backgrounds, have been availing the benefit of free bus travel. This opportunity allows them to conveniently travel and tie rakhi to their brothers.

"I perform the rakhi tying ceremony during the daytime and head back home by night. However, this time, I will only be able to tie the rakhi at night. Unfortunately, there are no buses available from Churu to Jaipur at 10 pm. The journey back will take place solely on August 31st, with the fare being applicable on that day. If the government genuinely intends to provide gifts to women, they should offer free travel for a span of two days." - Tara Devi, resident of Mansarovar