Women elated, but concerns aplenty

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: The Congress government's Shakti free travel scheme for women in public transport buses has been launched by CM Siddaramaiah. The scheme allows women and transgender persons, irrespective of age and economic background, to travel for free in government buses within Karnataka. However, certain restrictions have been imposed on the types of buses eligible for the scheme and how women can travel for free.

Dissatisfaction amid elation

Since the scheme exclusively caters to women from Karnataka, numerous students and working women who are studying or employed in Karnataka but hailing from other regions of the country are unable to use the benefits of this programme.

These students and women expressed their frustration and discontent over this criterion for availing of free travel in buses. While some women have expressed their discontent, women, who are from Karnataka even stated their preference for paying and commuting in an air-conditioned or electric bus, which tends to be less congested.

One woman who was returning home and waiting for a bus at the Shivajinagar bus stop, said, "After a tiring day at work, I would rather spend Rs 20 or Rs 40 and travel in a lesscrowded bus, than availing a free bus ride amid the crowd."

The bus conductor on the route from Baiyapanahalli metro station to KR Puram metro station mentioned that women are well-informed about the scheme and generally come prepared with their ID proof. While both the conductor and the driver have not observed a significant rise in passenger numbers on their route, they have noticed that women seem pleased with this initiative.

One woman, travelling with her 7-year-old daughter, expressed her happiness as she shared that her daughter no longer needs to worry about carrying cash and counting change; she can now freely travel around the city with just her Aadhaar card.

Reduced frequency

The scheme has garnered widespread appreciation across the state, with numerous reports highlighting an increase in the number of women utilising bus services. However, some passengers, including males, have voiced their concerns regarding the scheme's implementation.

They have raised issues about reduced bus frequencies and overcrowding since the scheme's implementation. Passengers in areas such as Vidhansoudha, Indiranagar, Marathalli, and others have particularly noticed the reduced frequency of buses.

A Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) official told News Trail, “The number of women passengers per day after the scheme has gone from 14 lakhs to 15 lakhs to 21 lakhs now. But the number of buses has remained at 5,600 to 6,000 buses. We will increase the number of buses if necessary.”