The Shakti Scheme that allows women to travel freely in State transport buses, might have received an overwhelming response, but it has impacted the behaviour of the conductors and drivers particularly towards women.
Women who frequently commute by buses feel that the approach of conductors and drivers towards women has undergone a drastic change after the introduction of the scheme.
Minakshi Amma, 67, a resident of Hubballi, says this rude behaviour becomes a ‘new normal’ when the buses are overcrowded. They are told to remain at home because they are aged. “We come out because of sheer necessity as there is no one to take care of us at home. We are forced to travel by bus as we can’t afford other modes of transport.”
Fatima Banu, a working woman from Ramlingeshwar Nagar in Hubballi, concurs with her and says no woman travels unnecessarily. Working women inevitably travel by bus to reach their workplace. “It is not us alone. Many elderly women from rural areas who come for consultation at KIMS Hospital face the same treatment,” she said.
Geeta, a college student from Betaduru village, has experienced similar treatment. “Just because we are offered free ride, does not mean we don’t have any respect,” she said. Geeta feels that instead of making it free, the fares should have been subsidised for women and made completely free for elderly and disabled persons.
Laxmi, a high school student, has a different experience. She feels that younger girls are often the subject of ridicule during peak hours particularly when they scramble to fetch their Aadhar cards.
It is not just the girl students; boys too have faced the heat while travelling in buses during peak hours. Students Dhanaraj, Vinayak and Tejas feel that after the implementation of the scheme, they often find buses stopping at a distance from the stipulated stops making it difficult for them to catch the bus and reach college in time.
The State transport employees however, have their own problems and justifications.
Arunkumar, a driver with NWKRTC, feels that it is because of the misuse of the scheme by some that several others were facing problems. He says they have to be loud sometimes because of the number of excess passengers and to dissuade them from travelling on the footboard. Any injury to the passengers while boarding crowded buses will ultimately result in them being penalised, another conductor said, pointing out that 14 conductors and drivers have been suspended after the implementation of the scheme.
Not all women travelling by bus have the same opinion. They feel that it is wrong to treat women in rude manner, but the staff too is helpless because of the rush. Ashwini, a high school teacher, feels that rude behaviour by few should not be generalised as the conduct of all the employees.
Sheethal, another college student, too feels the same. But they also agree that such rude behaviour cannot be justified.
Efforts made to get an official reply on the issue from Public Relations wing of NWKRTC failed.
