The Shakti Scheme, launched by the Congress government in Karnataka on 11 June 2023, aimed to offer free bus rides within the state to women and transgender people.
"My friends and I tirelessly campaigned for the Congress, going door-to-door to garner support. Our dedication led to our families voting for Congress. We proudly displayed their posters on our autos, believing in the promises they made. Little did we know that the consequences of our votes would come back to haunt us," said a disappointed auto driver whose daily income was heavily affected by the government’s free bus ride scheme.
The Shakti Scheme, launched by the Congress government in Karnataka on 11 June 2023, aimed to offer free bus rides within the state to women and transgender people. The conditions and requirements for the Shakti scheme state that women must be above 18 years old; they need to visit the Seva Sindhu Portal and submit an online application. After submitting the necessary documents, they will receive a Shakti smart card. This card must be shown while boarding the bus to avail of the scheme's free bus travel benefits.
"I work in 10 houses. I used to spend one-fourth of my income on travelling, but with the Shakti scheme, now I don't have to spend my earnings. I can save and work freely. This has helped me fulfil the wishes of my children. I no longer have to cut short on food. I can now save and send them to good schools," says Nirmalashri, a house help.
While the initiative attempts to improve accessibility for those in need, it has brought with it a set of challenges for various stakeholders.
Since the implementation of the Shakti Scheme, BMTC conductors have encountered several challenges in their daily operations. One of the prominent challenges is the increased workload brought about by the growing number of passengers availing free travel under the scheme.
A BMTC conductor explained, "In the past, it was easier as around 30% of women used to have passes. Now, we have to issue zero tickets to all of them. Previously, we used to issue 40-50 tickets to women, but now the number has increased to 80-90 tickets."
BMTC conductors are facing difficulties in verifying digital IDs. The process is time-consuming, especially during peak hours when boarding times are already limited. Some passengers may attempt to travel without a valid ticket, knowing that the conductor cannot impose any penalty on them. This has led to instances of ticketless travel.
“One day, a young woman boarded the bus and presented her scanned ID card on her phone for a free ticket. However, her photo was not clearly visible. I informed her that I could not issue the zero ticket without a clear photo on the ID card. She responded by arguing and verbally abusing me," says Ramesh Babu, a bus conductor.
With women now able to travel on buses for free, many of them have stopped taking autos to commute, resulting in reduced income for auto drivers.
“Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been facing difficult times. Some of my friends had to mortgage or sell off their vehicles and take up painting or carpentry to support their families. While things seemed to be slowly improving, the Shakti scheme has come as a curse to many of us," says Shashikant VJ, an auto driver.
Similarly, as more women opt for free bus travel, the demand for private bus services has declined significantly.
Our business is down by 50-60 per cent in the last two weeks. People are choosing public transport. We used to earn around 800 to 900 rupees a day, but this has now come down to 300 to 400 rupees," said Dinesh Baliga, a bus driver.
The impact of the Shakti Scheme on auto drivers and private bus operators is not uniform across all areas. In tech hubs like Whitefield and Marathahalli, where affordability may not be the primary concern for tech-savvy commuters, the impact on autos and cabs is relatively lesser. However, in areas like Yeshwantpur and Peenya, which are industrial hubs with a significant number of blue-collar workers, the business for auto drivers and private bus operators has seen a sharp decline.
Prerana, an interior designer who works in Malleshwaram, points out, "I change two buses every day to reach the office. The frequency of the buses has decreased over time. In addition, if a bus driver notices a large group of women waiting somewhere, they won't stop the bus.
The implementation of the Shakti Scheme has brought about commuting woes for students in Bengaluru. The buses have become increasingly overcrowded due to the higher number of passengers availing of free travel under the scheme. Students are finding it challenging to find adequate space during their daily commute to schools and colleges.
Ranjita, an HR manager, who takes the bus to MG Road for her daily commute to work, feels that the behaviour of the conductors towards women has changed since the launch of Shakti Scheme. “I do not 'feel respected' the same way as before. They see us as freebies," she says.
With the increase in the number of women using public transportation, there is a need for strict security measures. In an overcrowded bus, women are vulnerable to harassment and may feel uncomfortable travelling, especially during peak hours.
“The number of buses is less, and the number of travellers is more, resulting in overcrowded buses. I don't feel safe as there have been many instances when I encountered inappropriate touch by male passengers. This has happened to me many times. Sometimes, I feel hesitant to go to college because I don't want to encounter the same thing repeatedly,” says a student of Jain University.
“Taking a cab or an auto is expensive. I used to travel by bus using a monthly pass. With the Shakti scheme, the government should have reserved some buses exclusively for women instead of allowing both male and female passengers in the same bus," she adds.
According to data from the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), the daily ridership of women increased from 27 lakh in May 2023 to nearly 40 lakh in June 2023.
“I sometimes get late for college because it is difficult to board overcrowded buses. The number of buses is very limited. If I miss one bus, I have to wait for 10-15 minutes for another one. Boarding an overcrowded bus exposes me to the risk of physical molestation by some male passengers. Moreover, the crowded conditions make it difficult to breathe," says Priyanka Lalani, a student at Kristu Jayanti College.
A CAG audit report was released in February 2023. It highlighted the consequences of the government's failure to reimburse the Road transport corporation for the concessions they offered. It resulted in an accumulated loss amounting to Rs 4,689.09 crore as of 31 March 2021.
According to the transport department, the estimated loss is around Rs 1,563 crore for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Rs 770 crore for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Rs 906 crore for the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Rs 810 crore for the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).
Chief Public Relations Officer for the KSRTC provided a financial status report on June 11. It highlighted that the combined traffic revenue of the four RTCs by the end of March 2023 amounted to Rs 8,350 crore. However, due to concessions and other factors, the four RTCs incurred a total traffic revenue loss of Rs 4,390 crore.
Although in 2020, the Karnataka government allowed the corporations to adjust their tariffs based on the increased cost of diesel and employee allowances through an Automatic Fare Adjustment Formula, there has been only one fare revision implemented in February 2020, as mentioned in the CAG report.
The CAG audit revealed that the fare used to be revised annually until 2015 but after that, the corporations did not revise the fare until February 2020. The CAG report highlighted that there were no documented reasons for the non-revision of fares as per the Automatic Fare Adjustment Formula, despite the operational costs increasing between 2015 and 2020.
The Shakti Scheme has undoubtedly made improved accessibility to public transport for women and transgenders. However, it misses factors like addressing the challenges faced by BMTC employees, auto drivers, and private bus operators, which are crucial for the scheme's sustainable and successful implementation.