Women commuters in Karnataka are set to benefit from a major mobility upgrade, with the state government preparing to roll out a single smart card that works on both city buses and the Metro.
The proposed Shakti Scheme ID smart card will allow eligible women to continue availing free travel on Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses, while also functioning as a rechargeable National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) for seamless entry into Namma Metro.
Free bus travel, Metro recharge option
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the cards will be issued free of cost to beneficiaries. While bus travel under the Shakti Scheme will remain free, women can recharge the same card to use Metro services.
Currently, women are required to show Aadhaar cards to conductors, a practice that has reportedly led to misuse through fake or out-of-state credentials. With the new system, conductors will swipe the smart card on electronic ticketing machines, ensuring accurate validation and better passenger data tracking.
Massive usage under Shakti Scheme
The Shakti Scheme enables free travel for women domiciled in Karnataka across over 25,000 buses operated by four state-run corporations — KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC.
From June 11, 2023 to February 12, 2026, more than 668 crore tickets were issued, with ₹17,313 crore spent on providing free travel. In Bengaluru alone, nearly 22–24 lakh women rely on the scheme daily.
Free travel for PUC students
Separately, KSRTC has announced free bus travel for PUC students during examinations from February 28 to March 17. Students can avail the facility by producing their hall tickets.
Officials said modalities for issuing the new smart cards — both online and offline through citizen service centres — will be finalised soon.