The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging him to implement the electoral promise made by Congress of free travel to women in government buses. The Federation, in its letter, claimed that there are incidents where bus passengers are refusing to buy tickets.
There have been instances where women passengers are putting pressure on their staff saying they can’t pay and the government will pay ticket prices,” the letter said.

Notably, during a public rally in Mangaluru, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi declared the party’s fifth poll promise of free travel to women in government buses.

“On the first day of the Congress government coming to power in Karnataka, we will provide free travel to women in government buses,” Gandhi had said.

The party’s other four “guarantees” were 200 units of free power to all households, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family, 10 kg of rice free to all members of a BPL family, and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years if the party is voted to power in the state.