A file photo of passengers boarding a bus owned by KSRTC. Following the launch of Shakti scheme, there has been an increase in passenger load in buses operated by KSRTC in Mysuru. This resulted in authorities requesting additional buses for managing the increased number of passengers.
With the introduction of Shakti initiative, which was aimed at securing safety and dignity for women and girls travelling on public transport systems in karnataka state including city buses and metropolitan metro services, no more students about availability of buses for school trips as 50 new busses have joined the fleet of Mysuru urban division of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to serve the students after launching ‘Shakti’ scheme.
As a result, new buses are being run just during school hours to take care of students who otherwise miss their classes due to late coming after walking long distances during peak hours when even standing spaces do not get available in overcrowded vehicles used whose crowdedness is aided by the recently introduced ‘Shakti’ initiative.
The division has scheduled new operating times so that it can deal with student’s needs within townships.
According to The Hindu newspaper sources from KSRTC revealed these new busses have hi-tech features such as vehicle location tracking device, cameras and emergency panic button meant for ensuring security and safety among other things. The command center planned for tracing the movement of buses will be linked with BS-6 bodied vehicles.
Since Shakti initiative was started, there has been a sharp rise in passenger volume carried in KSRTC-operated coaches out bound from Mysuru. Consequently, authorities had requested extra coaches to accommodate growing numbers. Most vehicles plying under this sector were fully occupied and others exceeded their carrying capacities due to crowding mostly by ladies.
For augmenting its existing fleet and relieving pressure on its limited resources, central office had approved 120 extra busses for Mysuru division. There have been demands from students and residents for running additional services on the most-frequented routes.
The commuters are demanding more buses as per the demand for the service, and thinking of new ways to find them like different routes that has not yet been discovered, double frequency on known routes and during peak hours.
Authorities have been busy devising new routes based on the suggestions given by these people with regards to the students’ requirements. “When we have more busses in future, services would be expanded to cover more areas as requested by passengers,” said sources.
There came a point when intra-city services offered by this division became impossible due to 100% passenger load and growing number of regular customers. The situation was such that passengers who could not find space inside crowded coaches were found hanging on footboards risking their lives.
One can say that 50 new busses have made things better than they were before.
Also, PM e-Bus Sewa expects electronic motors by close of year where around one hundred busses are reportedly already planned for addition into their fleet aimed at enhancing public transport network thereby extending its reach beyond outer ring road (ORR).
PM e-Bus Sewa is an initiative that is designed to promote green modes of urban mobility. This project falls under Green Urban Mobility Initiative (GUMI).
