Two months after its launch, the Shakti scheme, which has successfully bolstered revenue and ridership across all four road transport corporations (RTCs), has hit a roadblock; instead of the smart cards promised during the launch of the scheme, women passengers will be given regular passes.
A senior RTC official told The Hindu that the Center for e-Governance (CeG), which was initially approached for the development of smart cards for RTCs, declined the proposal. As a result, the RTC has opted to introduce passes for the Shakti scheme similar to regular bus passes.
On June 11, the newly-elected Congress government in Karnataka launched the first among five poll guarantees — the Shakti scheme, under which women can travel for free in non-premium services of State-run buses across the state. Since its launch, the scheme has garnered positive reception from female passengers. From the day of its launch until August 9 (Wednesday), 36.14 crore women passengers have utilised the initiative to travel across the State. The cumulative value of tickets purchased by these women passengers amounts to ₹ 839,81,98,874.
Transport Minister, Ramalinga Reddy confirmed to The Hindu that the proposal for smart card development had been declined by the CeG. “We held a meeting recently with CeG officials to discuss the manufacturer of around three crore smart cards. Due to the substantial volume and the challenges associated with manufacturing such a large quantity of smart cards, CeG expressed its inability to undertake the task. Hence, we have now decided to introduce Shakti passes resembling traditional bus passes,” Mr. Reddy added.
The minister has instructed officials across all four RTCs to utilise the existing system for pass printing and issuance. “During the meeting, we conceptualised introducing Shakti passes that won’t function as smart cards, but rather resemble regular bus passes. Since we already have a system to issue the passes, we will make use of it. These passes will be distributed at bus stands and depots on the spot once we received a valid identity card from the beneficiary,” Mr. Reddy said.
Earlier, the government had said that to avail of the Shakti scheme, women must apply on the official portal of the scheme by providing a valid ID card issued by the government as proof of identity. Subsequently, RTCs were slated to dispense Shakti smart cards, employing a ‘tap-and-travel’ technology approach. This innovative method entails tapping the smart cards on conductors’ ticketing machines.
Shakti passes to take time
Amid these developments, the commencement of registration for Shakti smart cards has been delayed due to the ongoing registration processes for the Gruha Jyothi and Gruha Lakshmi schemes. As a result, female passengers are currently presenting a valid identity card issued by either the Central or State government to get a ‘zero ticket’ (free ticket) for bus travel and they may have to continue for some more time.
Mr. Reddy said, “Given that the registration for the Gruha Jyothi and Gruha Lakshmi schemes is currently underway, we plan to commence the Shakti pass distribution once these processes are concluded. Additionally, RTCs require some time for preparation.”
