Ludhiana, April 11 -- Private bus operators in Ludhiana, grappling with a steep decline in ridership and mounting losses after the Punjab government's free travel scheme for women in state-run buses, are now shifting their strategy to stay competitive. In a bid to win back passengers, they are now adopting aggressive strategies to regain their passenger base, offering perks such as free tickets and heavy discounts to female commuters.

Notably, many operators have started offering free travel for women accompanied by family members or male companions and discounts ranging from 30% to 50% to solo female travellers or women commuting in groups, to attract them to use their bus services.

Charanjit Singh, a private bus conductor on Ludhiana-...