Day 2 of rollout: Shakti scheme evokes mixed response from Bengaluru passengers

Passengers, bus conductors, and drivers had varying reactions on the second day of the Shakti scheme, with some pleased and others concerned.

Bus conductors noticed increased passenger numbers and expected more footfall.

Varalakshmi, a bus conductor operating on the Indiranagar-Shivajinagar route, was astounded at the unusually high collection on Monday afternoon. "Between 6 am and 1 pm, I issued tickets worth Rs 7,290, of which nearly Rs 3,000 were provided free to women," she said.

The renovated bus terminal at Kalasipalyam witnessed a steady influx of women passengers throughout the morning. Many of them expressed joy at the opportunity to travel without any fare. Station master Venkateshappa observed a noticeable increase of around 10% in women passengers since Sunday.

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Anekal resident Vasanthi dubbed the scheme ineffective. She said saving Rs 20 holds little value when faced with the increased expenses for grocery, electricity, and other utilities. The government should have thought of a scheme benefiting the larger population, she said.

Some women felt the scheme should offer free rides to all women, regardless of their registered government IDs.

Gyanmati, who hails from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and has been residing in the city for 20 years with her Aadhaar card registered locally, said she did not have to pay for her journey in Kalyan Nagar, unlike her companion Savitha, whose Aadhaar card indicated her address in Bihar.

AC bus conductors reported no significant change in commuter numbers. “AC buses are typically favoured by IT employees, many of whom are from outside Karnataka. So, we do not expect an increase in the numbers,” said Lokesh, an AC bus driver.

KSRTC bus conductors observed a 10% rise in passengers on Sunday, likely due to weekend traffic, but noticed no significant increase on Monday. However, they expect a surge on specific routes like temple destinations and tourist spots.