CM announces 700 new buses for NWKRTC, 100 EVs for Belagavi

Belagavi: Chief Minister Siddaramiah inaugurated the newly constructed Belagavi City Transport Bus Terminal under the Belagavi Smart City Project and announced a major expansion of public transport infrastructure with 700 new buses for the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and 100 electric buses for Belagavi city.

The City Bus Terminal, built at a cost of ₹49.20 crore, has been jointly funded by the Central and State Governments on a 50:50 basis. The terminal covers a total area of 2 acres and 19 guntas.

In addition, a new Electric Bus Unit is being established in Belagavi over 5 acres and 5 guntas at a cost of ₹24 crore, also supported equally by the Central and State Governments.

Highlighting the government’s progress in the transport sector, the Chief Minister Siddaramiah stated that over 10,000 new appointments have been made in transport corporations in the last two and a half years, and the corporations have received more than 215 awards for service excellence.

The Shakti Scheme, which offers free bus travel for women, continues to achieve remarkable success. So far, tickets worth ₹565.48 crore have been distributed, amounting to an expenditure of ₹14,456 crore. The scheme has earned entries in both the Golden Book of World Records and the International Book of World Records, a testament to its widespread impact.

The new Belagavi City Bus Terminal includes 28 platforms and handles 1,365 bus trips per day, connecting 143 destinations across 87 suburban areas within a 21 km radius.

The facility caters to around 96,000 passengers daily. The complex features a basement and five floors, providing multi-level parking, commercial shops, drinking water and restrooms, a dedicated mother-and-child room, accessibility features such as ramps for persons with disabilities, a police outpost, divisional office, subway connection, lifts, and escalators.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Minister for Transport and Muzrai, Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Public Works, Minister for Medical Education, Minister for Women and Child Development, the Chairman of NWKRTC, and several other dignitaries.