When will free bus rides for women begin? KSRTC staff ask Karnataka CM | Azad Times

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation has sent a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, emphasising the urgent implementation of the Congress party's manifesto pledge to provide free bus services for women in the state. In the letter, dated May 24, the federation expressed concern over the delay in fulfilling the promised provision of free bus passes for women. It highlighted that the absence of this scheme has resulted in frequent disputes between passengers and bus conductors, causing confusion among the general public. DA Vijay Bhaskar, the federation's chief secretary, stated, “We also know that any government cannot immediately implement all its promises. However, it is imperative that some promises are implemented without too much delay,” read the letter.

The federation further emphasised the importance of conducting a comprehensive assessment of the financial implications associated with the implementation of the free bus service for women. They stressed that the State Road Transport Corporation would require adequate funding and requested the Chief Minister's intervention in providing the necessary financial support to facilitate the implementation process. The letter read, “To implement the above decision, we request you to properly estimate the financial burden on the State Road Transport Corporation and sanction the cost advance to the Corporation.”

During the recent Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress party outlined five guarantees in its manifesto, one of which was the Shakti initiative. This initiative promised free travel for women on regular public transport buses across the state. These assurances played a significant role in attracting voters and contributed to the Congress party's victory, securing 135 out of 224 seats in the Assembly.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during the first Cabinet meeting held on May 20, reasserted the government's commitment to fulfilling all the guarantees presented in the Congress party's manifesto. He announced that the details regarding the implementation of these schemes would be discussed in the upcoming Cabinet meeting.

Read: Karnataka cabinet gives in-principle approval to Congress’s five guarantee schemes