BENGALURU:
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday reiterated that bus travel for women is free and no conditions are attached.
The transport minister said there are no guidelines for free bus travel for women as people are curious and eager to see the five guarantees implemented in the state, which the ruling Congress estimates could cost the state exchequer at least Rs 50,000 crore annually. .
“We don’t have any guidelines. We said it is free (bus travel) for women. There are no standards like working women or anyone else. It will be free for women traveling in the bus,” the minister told reporters at a press conference.
“If all of them choose the bus, their journey will be free,” Reddy said when reporters repeatedly asked him why there was free travel for women, noting that there are 3.5 crore women in the state. Government buses, “The final decision will be taken in the cabinet. Our party has announced free bus travel for all women.” The Minister said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had asked for details about the cost. Accordingly, the Principal Secretary, Department of Transport, has collected all the information and shared it with the government. There are four state owned transport corporations in Karnataka namely Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. , North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and Kalyan Karnataka Road Transport Corporation.
According to the details shared by Reddy, the operating cost of the four state-owned transport corporations in 2022-23 is Rs 12,750.49 crore. 8,946.85 crore in traffic and other revenue details for the last financial year. PTI
