Shakti services launched on the coast

Mangaluru/Udupi Karwar: District Incharge Minister of Dakshina Kannada Dinesh Gundurao, who is also the Minister of Health and Family Welfare Department, launched the free bus travel scheme for women in government buses on Sunday, June 11, at the KSRTC bus stand in Mangaluru city.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Dinesh Gundu Rao said that presently we have this scheme for only KSRTC buses, but there are requests from the people to extend the same facility to privately run public transport buses. But that is a decision that had to be taken after deliberations and arbitration. Right now, the KSRTC will provide free services to women.

The appeal from the various women travellers had urged the minister that this facility had to be extended into the private operations which are the mainline transporters in the district. There were areas where the KSRTC buses have no services and it was helpful if in those places the private operators were to be convinced by the government to give free service to women. The minister also appealed to those who use the services to commute to rural areas to judiciously use the services.

Similarly these services were launched in Uttara Kannada by district incharge minister Mankal Vaidya, and Ms Lakshmi Hebbalkar district incharge minister in Udupi

On this occasion, Deputy commissioner of the district District Collector Ravikumar M.R., Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Dr. Kumar, Mangalore City Police Commissioner Kuldeep Kumar Jain, Superintendent of Police Rishyant, Mangalore Metropolitan Corporation Commissioner Channabasappa, Additional District Collector Krishnamurthy, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Mangalore Division Control Officer Rajesh Shetty were present.