In a span of 20 days, as many as 57 lakh women availed free travel scheme in KSRTC buses operated by Mysuru division since the launch of Shakti – the first pre-poll promise rolled out by the Congress government.
On an average, 2.5 lakh women are taking free bus rides in about 790 buses where the rides had been made available out of 1,071 buses operated by the division.
Zero fare tickets amounting to ₹12.57 crore had been issued under Shakti and the amount has to be reimbursed to the division by the government.
The officials at the KSRTC Mysuru division are expecting further jump in passenger load once the ‘Ashada’ season ends and the new season begins with festivals and weddings. This will further the rush, making operations even more challenging for the authorities.
Therefore, the division has alone sought 120-130 extra buses from the central office for augmenting the existing fleet and ease the pressure on the available resources. There have been demands for running additional services on most demanding and frequented routes.
The KSRTC fleet in Mysuru has not been expanded since pandemic, forcing the authorities to delay launch of new services. However, the number of schedules or trips went up to clear the Shakti rush.
