BENGALURU: The Shakti scheme might have enabled free bus rides for women to travel anywhere in the state, but in around 1,800 villages, women have to walk at least 2km to board buses.
The state government is yet to provide last-mile connectivity, forcing commuters, including students, to walk miles every day. The demand for buses has increased in villages in the wake of the Shakti scheme.
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North East Road Transport Corporation (NERTC) and North West Road Transport Corporation (NWRTC) authorities blame bad stretches and non-motorable roads, forcing them to desist from plying buses here.
In an unstarred question asked by MLC UB Banakar, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said KSRTC operates buses in 17 districts. “Of 21,748 villages, KSRTC operates in 20,090 villages. For 1,658 villages, buses reach points 2km away, and commuters have to walk from there,’’ he said.
Similarly, NWRTC covers 4,610 villages, of which 4,565 villages get direct buses, and under NERTC jurisdiction, of 5,283 villages, 5,237 get direct buses. Reddy said they will also conduct a survey and based on demand, take action and operate buses accordingly.
Most of these villages are located in Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Udupi, Mandya, Chikkaballapura, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Shivamogga, Chitradurga, Chamarajanagar, Kalaburagi and Vijayanagar districts.
A senior KSRTC official told TNIE that the success of the Shakti scheme has led to more demand for buses on existing routes. Also, there is demand to operate buses to villages where there are no buses.
“Without good roads, where can we operate bigger vehicles (buses)? The rural development and panchayat raj ministry has to develop roads. Whenever panchayat officers or members ask for roads, they blame it on non-availability of funds,” the official said.