Mangaluru: The KSRTC in Dakshina Kannada has proposed additional buses and staff to meet the increase in demand under Shakti scheme which ensures free bus travel for women in the state.
Officials from KSRTC said that these additional buses are necessary for augmenting the existing routes in the district.
Mangaluru division of KSRTC has sought 88 buses and 450 running staff while Puttur division has sought 90 buses and 450 running staff.
Pushpa Amarnath, vice-chairman of Karnataka state guarantee implementation authority, said that she will meet Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and will request him to allot additional buses to Dakshina Kannada. “During my meeting with Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade, he explained how women from far away places including Kalburgi, Yadgiri, Kalyan Karnataka districts are visiting the temple due to the Shakti scheme.”
KSRTC officials said that there are 427 scheduled routes with 2,786 trips daily in the district.
Pushpa Amarnath said that taluk and district guarantee implementation authority members too have raised the issue of lack of buses on some routes where there is demand. The issue will be discussed with the minister to ensure that the district gets more buses.
In Mangaluru KSRTC division, a total of 1,83,23,971 women passengers have travelled in KSRTC buses from June 2023 till August 2024 and the value of the tickets travelled is Rs 65,73,60,797. In Puttur division, 3,77,42,227 women have travelled on KSRTC buses since the inception of the scheme till August end and the total value of the ticket travelled is Rs 116,25,53,105.
Published 18 September 2024, 11:22 IST