Three years after its launch, KSRTC floats a tender for a nationwide Shakti Card system

Finally, three years after the launch of the Shakti system, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has floated a tender to implement a state-wide smart ticket and card system aimed at digitally verifying journeys taken under the Shakti free bus travel scheme and streamlining reimbursement claims.

The tender, floated on September 28, seeks to appoint a system integrator to design, build, deliver, integrate, operate and maintain a new smart ticketing ecosystem for KSRTC, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).

On 4 June 2026, The Hindu first reported that the state government was planning to introduce the Unified Shakti smart card soon.

Central to the proposed system is a personalized, non-transferable Shakti card that will be issued on a 1K card profile. The card is designed to digitally determine a recipient’s eligibility and record each free ride, replacing the current system in which conductors visually verify government-issued identification.

According to officials, each Shakti trip will generate a digitally verifiable transaction record containing details such as operational STU, route, service, depot, vehicle, facility and location, along with the notional fare that would be charged.

“The proposed system is designed to address the concerns regarding authentication and reimbursement of Shakti journeys. The four STUs currently operate separate electronic ticketing (ETM) systems and do not have a common record of transactions or a mechanism to settle value between corporations,” said a senior official.

“The new system will introduce a Central Clearing House (CCH) to verify transactions, process claims and facilitate clearing and settlement among the four companies. It will also maintain independently auditable records of rides and reimbursement-related data,” the official added.

Integration of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).

The tender covers approximately 26,054 buses across four STUs, approximately 1.2 billion passenger boardings per day and approximately 75.68 lakh free Shakti rides per day. It also provides approximately 40,000 ETMs, with the system designed to accommodate further growth.

Registration will be done through Seva Sindhu and other e-governance portals including e-KYC verification. Beneficiaries without digital access will also be able to apply through company counters and authorized agents, the tender document said.

The proposed system will also support the integration of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), although the tender considers the NCMC as a separate fare medium from the Shakti Card. The Shakti card, the proposed 4K interoperable payment card and NCMC/open loop payment media will be designed to work through the same ticketing infrastructure and operational facilities with transactions processed through a common tariff and central clearinghouse.

The tender also includes a dedicated NCMC Integration work package (WP 4) with a system designed to support future interoperability with other public transport systems such as Namma Metro and K-RIDE.

Reimbursement

Another important element is the reimbursement mechanism. According to officials, the proposed system will be able to calculate Shakti compensation claims based on various methods, including full notional fare, incremental cost, flat rate per trip or a combination set by the government. The system will also generate claim files and store Shakti driving records for at least seven years for audit purposes.

Launched on 11 June 2023, the Shakti scheme, the first of five guarantee schemes of the Congress government, provides free travel for women, transgender persons and students in non-premium buses run by state transport companies.

Since its introduction, the initiative has become one of Karnataka’s most widespread social programs and was awarded the Golden Book of World Records for facilitating free travel for the highest number of women passengers in the public transport system.

Shakti cards will be distributed within two months, says transport minister

The Karnataka government plans to introduce smart cards for women under the Shakti scheme within two months, Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh said on Wednesday.

“There have been reports of women from other states availing free travel under this scheme. The smart card scheme is being introduced to curtail benefits for Karnataka women and make their travel more efficient,” the minister said.

He said the government has completed tendering for the first phase of issuing smart cards to one million women. The cards are expected to be ready and distributed within two months.

Published – 01 Oct 2026 06:00 IST