Currently, women passengers can use the “zero ticket” by showing any valid government-issued ID to the conductor. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved the distribution of smart cards to beneficiaries of the state’s flagship Shakti Scheme, nearly two-and-a-half years after the scheme was launched.
‘It Will Take’
Speaking to The Hindu, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the cards will be distributed free of cost to the beneficiaries. “We are planning to distribute through the Seva Sindhu portal or through Bangalore One and Karnataka One centers after registration. However, the rollout may take some time as the cards have to be manufactured,” Mr. Reddy said.
“The smart card will help the government accurately record the actual number of passengers who have traveled and enable generation of reliable data,” added Mr. Reddy.
Introduced on 11 June 2023 as the first of the Congress government’s five guarantees, the Shakti scheme allows women, including transgender persons and students, to travel free in non-premium state buses. The program has since become one of the most popular social initiatives in the state and even earned a place in the Golden Book of World Records for carrying the highest number of women passengers under the free travel program.
According to official data, as many as 666,92,61,660 passengers traveled across Karnataka under this scheme as of 10 February 2026. The total ticket value of the passengers traveling is ₹17,271 ₹11,35,254.
Data accuracy
Despite its success, the chip card system, which aimed to streamline ticketing and improve data collection, remained under development.
Currently, female passengers can avail of a “zero ticket” by showing the conductor any valid state-issued ID. However, officials said there were instances where several passengers presented ID cards that were “not valid or duplicate” to claim zero tickets. The program is exclusively for women residing in Karnataka.
The official said that the smart card was very necessary for conductors also because there were cases where few conductors also issued zero tickets without anyone traveling to show or increase the number of passengers, leading to incorrect data.
The official added: “Manual ID verification in overcrowded buses often delays the work of conductors. Using smart cards, conductors can quickly generate tickets either by visually verifying the card or by tapping on an Electronic Ticket Vending Machine (ETM), eliminating delays caused by checking identity documents.”
Published – 12 Feb 2026 22:33 IST