🗓️Last Updated: June 2026

Karnataka Shakti 2026: Free Bus Travel for All Women on State Buses

Shakti is Karnataka government's guarantee scheme providing free travel on all state-run buses (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, NEKRTC, KKRTC) to all women — regardless of income or category. No pass or pre-registration is needed. Women simply board any state bus and travel for free by showing any valid ID. Learn how Shakti works and which buses are covered.

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Verified by NagrikIQ Research Team
Sources: Official .gov.in portals only · Updated June 2026
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Official Sources
🔗karunadu.ksrtc.in — Official Portal →

📋 Overview

Shakti is one of Karnataka's 5 Congress guarantee schemes launched on 11 June 2023 (the same day the new Karnataka Congress government took office). It provides completely free bus travel on all Karnataka state transport corporation buses to all women — making Karnataka the first state to offer universal free bus travel for women. Buses covered: - KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) — long-distance and inter-city - BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) — Bengaluru city buses - NWKRTC (North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation) - NEKRTC (North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation) - KKRTC (Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation) Key features: - Universal: All women are eligible — no income limit, no BPL/APL classification needed - No pass required: Women board the bus and simply show any valid ID to the conductor - No pre-registration: The scheme works at boarding — no advance application needed - Applies on ordinary, express, and Rajahamsa bus services (not on Volvo/AC luxury buses in all cases — check) - Over 120 crore trips have been covered under Shakti since June 2023 The scheme has significantly improved women's mobility, particularly for working women, students, and daily wage earners who now save ₹500–₹3,000/month on bus fares.

✅ Eligibility

  • ✓Any woman (female) citizen who wishes to travel on Karnataka state buses — no age restriction
  • ✓No income limit — applicable to all economic categories
  • ✓No category restriction — all castes, religions, and communities eligible
  • ✓Karnataka resident preference is informally observed, but no strict residency requirement in the scheme rules
  • ✓Transgender women are also eligible under the Shakti scheme
  • ✓Women from other states who are travelling within Karnataka on KSRTC/BMTC are also covered (practically)
  • ✓No annual registration, no pass, no physical or online application needed
  • ✓Must carry a valid identity document to show the bus conductor upon boarding

📁 Documents Required

▸Any government-issued identity proof showing you are female: Aadhaar card (preferred), Voter ID, PAN card, Driving Licence, Passport
▸Karnataka One Card / smart card (if available — used in BMTC for digital boarding)
▸Student ID (for female students — accepted as identity proof at conductor's discretion)
▸No pre-issued Shakti card or pass is required — just a standard ID
▸For BMTC: Aadhaar QR code or Aadhaar mobile app (mAadhaar) is accepted for digital verification

💰Fees & Processing Time

Fee
FREE — Absolutely zero cost for travel. No ticket, no pass fee, no registration charge.
Processing Time
No processing time — Shakti works immediately. Walk up to any KSRTC/BMTC bus, board, show your ID to the conductor, and travel for free. No advance booking or waiting.

🖥️ How to Apply Online

  1. 1No online application is required for Shakti free bus travel
  2. 2For BMTC (Bengaluru city): download the BMTC Smart Card app or Namma BMTC app on your mobile
  3. 3Register in the app with your mobile number and Aadhaar for digital boarding (optional — not required for Shakti)
  4. 4For route information: check karunadu.ksrtc.in for KSRTC routes, or bmtc.in for BMTC routes
  5. 5Book reserved seats (for long-distance KSRTC) on karunadu.ksrtc.in — mark as female to get free travel
  6. 6For reserved online booking: select gender as 'Female' — the ticket will show ₹0 fare or 'Shakti' tag
  7. 7Download/print your zero-fare ticket for reserved KSRTC services and carry with ID proof

🏢 How to Apply Offline

  1. 1Simply board any KSRTC/BMTC/NWKRTC/NEKRTC/KKRTC bus at any bus stop
  2. 2When the conductor comes, show your Aadhaar card, Voter ID, or any photo ID
  3. 3The conductor issues a Shakti token/zero-fare ticket — keep it until you alight
  4. 4For reserved KSRTC long-distance buses: go to the KSRTC booking counter, mention you want a ticket under Shakti, show your ID — ticket is issued at ₹0
  5. 5No other steps required — boarding and identity proof are the only requirements

⚠️Common Problems & Solutions

✗Bus conductor is refusing to let me board without a Shakti card
→No separate Shakti card is required. The scheme guidelines state that any valid government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, Voter ID, etc.) is sufficient. If a conductor refuses, note the bus number, route, and conductor's badge number. Call KSRTC helpline 1800-599-0066 or BMTC helpline 080-22218888 to report the issue. You can also escalate to the CM helpline 1902.
✗Conductor is charging for travel on Volvo/luxury AC bus
→Shakti free travel primarily applies to ordinary, express, and Rajahamsa services. Some luxury AC Volvo services, sleeper buses, and premium services may have different policies. Check the specific service type before boarding. For Bengaluru city Volvo BMTC buses, Shakti generally applies — confirm with BMTC if you face an issue.
✗Tried to book KSRTC ticket online — website charged full fare
→For online reserved KSRTC bookings (karunadu.ksrtc.in), ensure you select gender as 'Female' during booking. The fare should automatically show as ₹0 or 'Shakti' tag. If the system charges full fare, try using a different browser or clear cache. If the portal issue persists, book at the bus counter in person — show your ID for a free ticket.
✗I am a transgender woman — will the conductor accept my ID?
→Transgender women are explicitly eligible for Shakti. Your transgender identity certificate (issued under the Transgender Persons Act) is a valid ID. If a conductor is uncooperative, call the KSRTC/BMTC helpline or CM helpline 1902. Karnataka has progressive policies on transgender inclusion — this is a reportable complaint.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q.Does Shakti apply on long-distance inter-state KSRTC routes?

Shakti applies on Karnataka state transport buses. For truly inter-state routes that cross into other states (e.g., Bengaluru–Mumbai or Bengaluru–Goa), the KSRTC portion of the journey may be free but the entire route fare depends on the operator. For purely intra-Karnataka routes (even long-distance like Bengaluru–Bidar), Shakti fully applies.

Q.Does the scheme apply to private bus services operating in Karnataka?

No. Shakti applies only to Karnataka state-owned transport corporations (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, NEKRTC, KKRTC). Private bus operators, sleeper bus operators, and non-KA-registered bus services are not part of Shakti.

Q.Can my female children also travel free under Shakti?

Yes. Shakti has no age restriction — girl children travelling on KSRTC/BMTC buses are also covered. Female infants/toddlers typically don't need separate tickets in any bus system. Older girl children (who normally need a ticket) can board for free under Shakti with any school ID or parent-accompanying declaration.

Q.Is Shakti only for Bengaluru city or entire Karnataka?

Shakti covers the entire state of Karnataka. KSRTC serves rural and semi-urban Karnataka. BMTC covers Bengaluru city. NWKRTC (Dharwad, Hubli region), NEKRTC (Kalaburagi, Gulbarga region), and KKRTC (Bidar, Bellary region) cover other parts of the state. So women across Karnataka can travel free on all these state buses.

Q.How does the Karnataka government compensate the transport corporations for free travel?

The Karnataka government directly compensates KSRTC, BMTC, and other ESCOMs from the state budget for the revenue foregone under Shakti. The government allocated over ₹3,000 crore for Shakti in the state budget. Transport corporations issue Shakti tokens/receipts which are used for reimbursement calculation.

📞Helpline & Support

  • ▸KSRTC Helpline: 1800-599-0066 (toll-free)
  • ▸BMTC Helpline: 080-22218888
  • ▸Karnataka Transport Department: transport.karnataka.gov.in
  • ▸Shakti Grievance: CM Helpline 1902 or Karnataka Sakala — sakala.kar.nic.in
  • ▸KSRTC Online Booking: karunadu.ksrtc.in
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