Karnataka govt may waive smartcard requirement for free bus travel scheme: Transport Minister

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy indicated on Wednesday that the smartcard requirement may be waived for the Shakti scheme, which allows women to travel for free on government buses in Karnataka from June 11.

"Women will need Shakti smartcards only after three months. But we are willing to look at other long-term options (such as zero-fare tickets)," Reddy told DH.

He said the smartcards would be issued for free through the government's Seva Sindhu portal and at KarnatakaOne and BangaloreOne centres, and possibly at bus stations.

He reiterated that only women with Karnataka domicile will be eligible. The scheme will be launched at a ceremony at Vidhana Soudha this Sunday.

On June 5, the Transport Department specified guidelines for the scheme that also covers girl students and transgenders.

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For the first three months, beneficiaries will have to show their government-issued photo identity and address proof. Thereafter, they will have to obtain Shakti smartcards through Seva Sindhu.

Government buses in Karnataka ferry about 40 lakh women daily. The number is expected to rise by 10 per cent under the free travel scheme, which will cost the government over Rs 4,000 crore per year.

Public transport activists say the smartcard requirement would place the poor, especially those from rural areas, at a disadvantage.

On Wednesday, a delegation of the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) met Reddy and submitted him a memorandum. The group suggested that the smartcard requirement would "negate" the scheme's potential benefits. "It will only create problems for women and RTCs, and dissuade many beneficiaries," the memorandum stated.

In particular, the group argued, poor women from remote villages will find it difficult to get smartcards online or at KarnatakaOne and BangaloreOne centres. "This will likely lead to corruption," it added.

The group sought clarification about the documents required for smartcards and highlighted potential glitches in Seva Sindhu. Women's privacy is another area of concern as their data could be misused, it said.

Vinay K S, a BBVP member, said the smartcard requirement was "totally unnecessary". "Why can't Karnataka issue pink or zero-fare tickets to women passengers as Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Punjab do?" he asked.

The group also urged the minister to extend the scheme to women from other states who come to Karnataka to study, work and seek medical treatment. "They shouldn't be left out," it said.