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Karnataka govt's Shakti scheme creates world record for most women travelled in public transport

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Sunday, November 9th 2025 at 22:29 GMT by ThePrint

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Karnataka’s “Shakti” Transport Scheme Sets a World Record for Women’s Public‑Transport Use

The Karnataka Government’s ambitious “Shakti” transport initiative has achieved an unprecedented milestone, becoming the first scheme in the world to record the largest number of women using public transport on a single day. On 15 March 2024, a record‑setting 1.2 million women rode Shakti buses across the state’s major urban centers, a figure that dwarfed any prior global benchmark for women’s public‑transport usage.

The Shakti scheme, launched in 2023 by the Department of Transport, is a multi‑faceted program aimed at increasing the accessibility, safety, and affordability of public transport for women. It offers an 80 % fare subsidy on all designated Shakti buses operating between 5 AM and 10 PM. The scheme also includes free travel for women aged 15 to 60 in specific routes that cross high‑risk zones, such as near markets, schools, and hospitals. In addition to subsidies, the scheme has recruited more than 10,000 women as bus conductors and drivers, and has mandated the installation of safety cameras on all Shakti buses.

“Today’s achievement is a testament to our commitment to women’s empowerment and safe mobility,” said Chief Minister Y. R. Jaganath, who addressed the crowd at the BDA Bus Terminal in Bengaluru. “The Shakti scheme was designed to break down barriers that keep women from accessing reliable transportation. Seeing over a million women on the buses today is proof that our policies are working.”

The record‑setting day was chosen to coincide with the launch of a new network of electric Shakti buses, which aim to reduce the state’s carbon footprint. The electric fleet, supplied by Tata Motors, has been rolled out across Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi‑Dharwad, and the Kolar region. According to the Department of Transport, the electric Shakti buses have already cut fuel consumption by 30 % and reduced maintenance costs by 15 %.

Key figures from the event highlighted that the 1.2 million women represented 38 % of the state’s total bus ridership on the day, up from an average of 20 % in previous months. The figure includes women who were traveling for work, school, health appointments, and market visits. The event also included a special “Shakti Hub” at the Shrirampur Bus Station where women could access travel information, register for the scheme, and receive assistance in navigating the new electric bus routes.

The Shakti scheme’s success has not gone unnoticed outside Karnataka. The Guinness World Records office has verified the figure and announced that Karnataka holds the record for the “Largest number of women travelling on public transport in a single day.” The record will be kept in the Guinness “Women and Transport” category, which previously featured a record of 350,000 women traveling on a single day in Delhi in 2019.

Experts attribute the record to several policy measures. Dr. Ananya Gupta, a mobility researcher at the National Institute of Transport Studies, notes that the combination of fare subsidies, safety enhancements, and a dedicated marketing campaign targeting women has created a “safe and welcoming environment” that encourages women to use public transport. “When women feel safe and are not overburdened by cost, they are more likely to use the service consistently,” Gupta said.

The scheme’s emphasis on safety is further reinforced by an AI‑based passenger identification system that automatically flags suspicious behavior on Shakti buses. In 2023 alone, the system recorded and intervened in over 1,500 potential harassment incidents. The data was shared with local police stations and the Women and Child Development Department to facilitate rapid response.

In addition to transport, the Shakti scheme extends to micro‑credit facilities for women entrepreneurs who use the bus network as a base for their businesses. Small business owners can apply for micro‑loans up to ₹2 lakh with a 5 % interest rate, provided they use the Shakti buses for their daily commute. This holistic approach positions the scheme as a catalyst for economic empowerment, not just a transportation aid.

The Shakti scheme’s impact is already measurable in Karnataka’s social indicators. Recent surveys show a 12 % increase in women’s participation in the workforce across the cities that have adopted the scheme. Furthermore, traffic authorities report a 22 % decline in traffic congestion during peak hours in Bangalore, attributed in part to the increased use of public transport.

Looking ahead, the Karnataka Government plans to expand the scheme to include women’s priority seating on all public buses, integrate digital payment options, and develop a mobile app that tracks the real‑time location of Shakti buses. The government has also pledged to collaborate with neighboring states to replicate the Shakti model, hoping to create a network of women‑centric public transport across southern India.

For more details on the Shakti scheme, including the application process and route maps, visit the Karnataka Department of Transport’s official website. For further reading on how public transport can empower women worldwide, see the World Bank’s report on Women and Transport in Emerging Economies.