Bengaluru: The state govt has directed the four state-run road transport corporations to roll out free bus travel facilities for male students with immediate effect.As per the guidelines issued by the transport department, the existing conditions applicable to concessional student bus passes will continue. This means male students will be allowed to travel only on designated routes between their residences and educational institutions.A senior official of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said students will be able to apply for the free travel facility through the Seva Sindhu portal and necessary arrangements are being made for its implementation.According to the govt guidelines, male students who have already obtained student bus passes can continue using them and the amount paid by them will be refunded in 15 days.The govt has also decided to extend the free bus pass facility to students residing in border areas. “However, the benefit will be limited to a maximum distance of 60 km. For instance, many students from Attibele study in Hosur and vice versa. Similar situations exist in several border areas where students depend on bus services for their daily commute. This facility will benefit them,” an official said.The new free bus travel scheme is expected to benefit more than 10 lakh students across the state. The transport corporations are likely to incur an annual expenditure of Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 1,700 crore towards providing the facility.A notification issued by the transport department states that earlier, for issuing student bus passes for general-category students, the state govt bore 50 per cent of the cost, while the remaining was shared equally by the respective corporation and the student. The corporations have now requested the state govt to reimburse Rs 286 crore towards its share of the cost of issuing passes to general-category students, along with Rs 15 crore towards processing charges and accident insurance coverage required for providing the free travel facility.
