Mysuru: Dr. B. Pushpa Amarnath, Vice- Chairperson of the Guarantee Schemes Implementation Monitoring Authority, convened a progress review meeting this morning at the Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Hall to assess the implementation of various guarantee schemes.

During the meeting, she highlighted the remarkable success of the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which facilitates free travel for women on state-run KSRTC buses. She noted a significant increase in the number of women passengers, currently reaching 4.28 lakh daily.

To accommodate this growing demand, she announced that a proposal has been submitted to the Government requesting 160 new buses and the deployment of an additional 400 staff members.

Maruti, a member of the Authority, raised concerns about the treatment of women passengers, alleging that KSRTC staff, including drivers and conductors, have been showing scant respect by failing to stop buses at designated bus stops.

In response, Dr. Pushpa Amarnath emphasised the need for KSRTC authorities to ensure that women passengers receive the respect they deserve. She reminded drivers and conductors that the Government is funding their travel and directed KSRTC officials to suspend any staff who exhibited disrespectful behaviour towards women passengers.

The meeting was attended by ZP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K.M. Gayathri, Additional DC P. Shivaraj, KSRTC officials, and district-level officers from various departments.