Day 1: 570K women avail free bus rides in Karnataka

The newly launched Shakti scheme witnessed an overwhelming response with a total of 5.71 lakh women availing free bus rides on day 1

The Shakti scheme in Karnataka witnessed an overwhelming response as a total of 571,000 women availed free rides on government buses on day one of its rollout on Sunday, according to a statement from the transport department. The data collected from 1 pm to 12 midnight revealed that 193,000 women travelled on KSRTC buses, 2.01 lakh women on BMTC buses, 122,000 women on NWKSRTC, and 53,623 women on KKRTC buses.

Newly launched Shakti scheme witnesses overwhelming response on day 1. (PTI)

On the first day of the Shakti scheme, tickets worth ₹1.40 crore were provided free of cost to women passengers, according to the transport department.

The Congress-led government in Karnataka on Sunday rolled out the Shakti scheme – offering free travel to women and transgender people in state buses – fulfilling the first of its five poll guarantees.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and transport minister Ramalinga Reddy on Sunday launched the scheme outside the Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru, and also issued token smart cards to five beneficiaries, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders invited to the event, stayed away.

Transport department officials estimate that the scheme will benefit over 4.18 million women passengers on a daily basis and will incur an annual cost of over ₹4,000 crore.

However, the launch of the scheme saw several associated incidents as well. On Monday morning, a 14-year-old girl died as she lost her balance and fell from a crowded North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) bus in the Haveri district. She was taken to a hospital but the doctors declared her dead. The victim, identified as Madhu Kambar (14), was travelling from her village Vassan to Kusnur village of Hangal taluk in Haveri district.

“Madhu was standing on the steps of the bus as it was crowded. As the bus started moving, she lost her balance and fell down to her death” said officials of Adur police station.

On Monday morning, many women, including college students, daily wage workers, and local business owners, faced challenges due to the surge in passengers. Instances of arguments between women passengers and bus conductors were reported in various parts of Karnataka.

In Hassan a man engaged in a dispute with a bus conductor as he carried his two-year-old daughter.

The conductor insisted that free tickets were only provided to individuals above the age of 5. Similar disagreements occurred in Bagalkot, where women passengers argued with the conductor over seats occupied by luggage. The government guidelines don’t specify a limit to the luggage that can be carried by women, which led to the fight. The department has taken cognizance of the incident.

“The matter will be addressed at the earliest,” said a senior Transport department official.