Bengaluru
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus crew will face strict action if they do not stop and pick up women passengers. This comes after the corporation received complaints that the bus crew avoided women passengers after the implementation of the Shakti scheme under which women can travel for free in non-premium services of State road transport corporations.
Since the scheme was launched, many videos have been circulated on social media platforms of bus crew members refusing to pick up women passengers.
In a circular issued on Thursday, the KSRTC said, “There are complaints that a few crew members do not stop the bus on seeing women since the ride for them is free under the Shakti scheme. However, each ticket given to women passengers will be reimbursed by the government and considered as revenue for the corporation. Hence, all bus crew should pick up women passengers. If not, strict action is will be taken against the crew.”
A total of 5,40,07,124 women travelled for free in such buses till June 21 since the launch of the scheme by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on June 11. According to the KSRTC, the ticket value of women passengers who availed themselves of the scheme till June 21 is ₹126.72 crore.
Meanwhile, in the circular, the KSRTC also directed its crew to behave respectfully with the women passengers since a few incidents of some conductors verbally abusing women passengers while issuing the tickets have come to the notice of the corporation. The KSRTC said strict action would be initiated against such crew members in future.
The Shakti scheme is the first of the five pre-poll guarantees of the Congress that was implemented by the party government.
