Belagavi: The ‘Shakti Scheme’ to implement free bus travel for women will be launched in the state from June 11. The Congress Government is happy that the guarantee has been fulfilled. But the people of Belagavi and Hubballi are questioning ‘when will we they get rid of scrap buses’. In all, 100 old buses were sent during the tenure of the BJP Government. There was anger in North Karnataka over this. Yet the Government behaved like they did not care. Now that a new government has come in, it remains to be seen if Hubballi will be liberated from scrap buses.
Old buses that ran 6-8 lakh km in Bengaluru were sent to Belagavi. Belagavi and Hubballi city have 50 old buses plying now. The NWKSRTC authorities purchased old buses plying in BMTC for Rs 1 lakh each. Old buses are lying in a dilapidated condition on Belagavi road and new buses have been purchased from Bengaluru at a cost of crores of rupees. The previous Government had purchased 100 electric buses.
Old buses are plying on various routes of Belagavi city. The people of Belagavi had cursed the BJP Government back then. Now the Government has provided free bus travel facility to women, people are also demanding that good quality buses should be provided.
There are 55 bus depots and 173 bus stands in Dharawad, Belagavi, Bagalakote, Gadag, Haveri and Uttara Kannada Districts under the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation. On an average, 4,505 buses ply on an average 15.05 and 15.25 lakh kilometres per day. A total of 16.40 to 17.50 lakh people travel.
Among them are 4167 buses of urban transport, suburban transport, general and express type, which are allowed for free travel for women. On an average, 15 to 15.50 lakh people travel in these buses every day. It is estimated that 7 to 7.50 lakh of them are women.