Free bus rides for working women, schoolchildren from April 1 in poll-bound Karnataka

Bengaluru: Working women and schoolchildren will get free rides in public buses from April 1, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Tuesday.

Speaking after dedicating KSRTC's Volvo Multi Axel BS4-9600 sleeper buses ahead of the polls here, he said the purpose of chalking out this scheme was to enable women become self-reliant.

They need to introduce mini school buses and the existing buses will be utilised to start the operation. At the time of starting schools, a minimum of five buses must be operated in each taluk. More grants will be released, if necessary, he said.

"Transport plays an important role in economic development because of this it has been given priority and announced free pass facility for working women and school children in the state budget FY 2023-24. "Our government is always with the working staff and the management and let us provide a good service to the commuters," he stated.

A special transport team called 'Ambari' was dedicated to the state earlier in the day which has the sleeper facility, the CM said. Several good features are provided in this fleet of buses just like the railway sleeper coaches.

The earlier edition of Volvo buses was not comfortable and understanding this the multi-axel buses have been designed to provide good facilities to the commuters. Henceforth, the night journey on these buses will be comfortable. The state transport corporation should buy some more buses, he said.