BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is staring at a significant financial gap caused by the state government’s Shakti scheme – it has suffered a shortfall of around Rs 850 crore, as the government has reimbursed only Rs 2,247.35 crore out of the Rs 3,097.27 crore it was to get for providing free bus rides to women passengers.
Until February 2026, the scheme launched almost three years ago recorded 680.87 crore free bus rides by women across Karnataka, of which 217.62 crore were offered by the BMTC.
The figures were disclosed in response to a question raised by MLC HS Gopinath in the Legislative Council recently, which sought details of the total free bus rides taken by women and the reimbursement of ticket fares by the government. Year-wise figures show that while the financial burden has steadily increased, reimbursements have not kept pace.
The government acknowledged that the BMTC was already under financial stress, with liabilities amounting to Rs 1,383.86 crore prior to the scheme’s rollout. Pending payments to fuel companies, provident fund obligations and supplier dues had compounded the situation. In addition, rising diesel prices, staff salary revisions and increasing maintenance costs added to the operational burden in the subsequent period, the Council was told.
In response, the government said it has been releasing funds in advance every month under the Shakti scheme, with allocations for the period up to March 2026. To stabilise the BMTC’s finances, several measures have been undertaken, including permitting the corporation to raise Rs 589.20 crore in loans with state guarantee and providing budgetary support for repayment, it said.
The government also highlighted its efforts to expand and modernise the fleet, including the induction of diesel and electric buses, and the approval for the purchase of 4,500 electric buses under the PM e-Drive scheme. An additional 1,000 diesel buses have been announced in the 2026–27 Budget.
While the Shakti scheme has significantly boosted public transport usage among women, the data points to growing concerns over the financial sustainability of transport corporations, particularly the BMTC, amid rising ridership and operational costs.