Construction Workers In Karnataka Will Be Given Free Bus Passes By The State Government
Update: 2021-12-14 19:15 IST
People rush to board a city bus at Majestic bus stand in Bengaluru (Photo/PTI)
Under the 'Sahayahasta' bus permits scheme, the Karnataka labour department intends to provide free bus passes to construction workers throughout the state. Construction workers who have registered with the Building and Construction Workers Welfare Board have already received Sahayahasta bus cards from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).
Shivaram Hebbar, Minister for Labour Department said that through Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), the labour department will give free bus passes to construction employees in the state soon. Officials from the labour department have previously met with KSRTC officials to discuss a scheme in which the department will pay the KSRTC to provide bus passes to construction workers. Workers from other states, especially migrant labourers, can enrol in the programme. The minister stated that all four corporations in the state, notably Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, are in discussions with us.
To obtain the passes, workers must submit copies of the board's recognized identity card and the Aadhaar card, as well as two stamp-size pictures. Furthermore, due to a lack of understanding of the scheme, the BMTC, which is providing the permits to Bengaluru workers, has experienced a low turnout for the free bus passes.
As per BMTC data, only 1,602 workers took use of free passes in 2018-19, but roughly 7,395 people did so in 2019-20. This year, the BMTC solicited applications and made plans to issue Sahayahasta passes at 20 locations, along with the Kempegowda bus station and bus terminals in Shivajinagar, Yeshwantpur, Banashankari, Vijayanagar, Whitefield, Shanthinagar, Domlur, Kengeri, Jayanagar, and Koramangala, reported The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, the BMTC has the passes ready, but amidst distributing information in Kannada, Hindi, and English at bus stops, and recieved the immediate reaction has been poor.