Zero tickets’ worth Rs. 126,72,99,929 issued so far

Mysore/Mysuru: The recent launch of the ‘Shakti’ scheme which provides free travel for women on non-premi-um Government buses, has remained popular among female passengers even after 11 days. Data from all divisions of the KSRTC show that over 5 crore women have travelled across the State, costing the exchequer Rs. 126 crore.

This scheme, one of the five guarantees promised by the Congress Government, had sparked both anticipation and scepticism prior to its launch. However, the data indicates that it has been well-received by women. Working-class women, in particular, have benefited significantly from the scheme and have eagerly embraced the opportunity.  The scheme is implemented on buses operated by Karnataka State Road Trans-port Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Trans-port Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).

From June 11 till June 22, 5,40,07,124 women have utilised the service and the tickets have cost the Government a whopping Rs. 126,72,99,929 during the same period since the scheme’s initiation.

On the launch day alone, 5,71,000 women travelled, resu-lting in zero-value tickets worth approximately Rs.1,40,22,878 being issued. The following day, which was a Monday, wit-nessed a significant increase with 41,34,726 women passe-ngers availing the scheme. Subsequently, the number of women passengers travelling for free on government buses consistently rose and now has beaten the 5-crore mark.

Notably, among the divisions, the BMTC recorded the highest number of female passengers indicating that a large number of female workforce are using the service. This trend continued over the weekend, with footfall consistently increasing as women preferred to travel to religious places such as Dharmasthala, Kukke Subrahmanya, Sringeri.

As the weekend coincided with Ashada Amavasya, the presence of women at bus stops and crowded buses was noticeable throughout the State. To accommodate the increased demand, transport organisations have expanded their bus services to religious and tourist destinations.

The data reveals that last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 5.5 million, 5.43 million, and 5.15 million women, respectively, travelled on Government buses in all the divisions.

Scheme leaves a big dent in auto drivers’ income

After the ‘Shakti’ scheme was launched, auto-rickshaw drivers in Mysuru city are experiencing the impact, with a reported 30 to 40 percent decline in business. Many drivers who provide services through ride-hailing applications are noticing a drastic decrease in the number of ride requests they receive, even during peak hours and for long distances.

Despite waiting from morning till afternoon, several auto drivers are unable to find a single passenger. This has left them feeling helpless, as they struggle to pay their children’s school fees and monthly loan instalments. Despite working 12-hour shifts, autorickshaw drivers lead challenging lives.

They say that the ‘Shakti’ scheme has resulted in irreparable losses, making it difficult to earn even Rs. 500 per day. Already frustrated by factors like bike taxis, auto drivers mentioned that they are left with no choice but to raise their fares due to the significant impact the scheme has had on their earnings.

“We were already in a dire situation, trying to recover from the debts accumulated during the COVID pandemic and facing competition from bike taxis. Now, the ‘Shakti’ scheme has further worsened the misery in our lives,” said Sampath, an auto driver from Ashokapuram.