Weekend ‘Shakti’: Surge in women passengers to tourism hotspots around Bengaluru

The 'Shakti' scheme implemented by the Congress government has yielded positive outcomes for women, resulting in a significant influx of female travellers to the Adiyogi statue in Chikkabalklapura and Nandi Hills. The provision of free bus services has greatly benefited devotees and passengers, leading to packed KSRTC buses with women passengers during the weekends.

Popular destinations such as the holy sites of Nandi Hills, the Isha Foundation's 113-feet Adiyogi statue, and the surrounding temples were filled with girls and women. The availability of free bus facilities specifically for women in Karnataka has proven advantageous for numerous tourist spots. However, men and elderly individuals faced difficulties in securing buses for their respective destinations as most buses were occupied by female passengers.

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Even with buses running every five minutes to the Adiyogi statue, it was insufficient to accommodate the influx of lady passengers. Similarly, the frequency of buses to Nandi Hills was altered, with one bus available every 30 minutes.

Bus drivers and conductors were observed struggling to manage the crowds as women thronged to board the buses, creating an overwhelming surge.

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Men could only stand by and observe as they witnessed the chaos caused by women inside the buses. Despite the buses having 54 seats, there were more than 130 passengers on board, with only 10 to 15 of them being men.

The combination of the weekend and the 'Shakti' scheme led to a surge in passengers and tourists along the route. Women were seen fighting, arguing, and doing whatever it took to secure a spot on any available bus. Men, on the other hand, remained silent spectators amidst the havoc.