Shivakumar takes Bengaluru metro for first visit to home constituency after becoming Karnataka CM
Bengaluru, June 6
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday opted to travel by Bengaluru's Namma metro to visit his home village in the Kanakpura constituency. This is Shivakumar's first visit to his home constituency since assuming the office of Chief Minister a few days ago.
Shivakumar travelled from Vidhana Soudha metro to Central Silk Board junction via the metro, interacting with the public. Travelling with his security detail, the Chief Minister was seen greeting people, while others wanted to take pictures with him and have a chat.
The Chief Minister said that instead of troubling people with traffic disruptions due to convoy movement, he chose to travel 45 minutes by metro instead.
"I don't want to waste the time of the common man. When a CM travels, there will definitely be a lot of traffic issues...I just travelled about 45-50 minutes in the metro...I'll go to my village and greet the public who have been voting for me since 1985," he told reporters after getting off the metro.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of Shivakumar's visit, preparations are being done at a large scale with troupes of people getting ready with drums and flags to greet the Chief Minister.
In an effort to promote public transport for every section of society, free bus passes for "all school and college students" in one of the first decisions of the newly sworn cabinet.
Shivakumar had said that many questioned why the free transport was limited to girls, which is why this expansion was announced. He said that students would have to apply for this pass after it is rolled out.
"This is the youth era. Students were asking why there is a free bus just for girls. We are giving passes to all students - a free bus pass without any charge. A bus pass is free for all school and college students. This is the first decision by the DK Shivakumar cabinet. Students have to apply for this, will discuss this with the Transport Department," he said.
Emphasising his commitment to the people of Karnataka, Shivakumar said the government would focus on initiatives aimed at empowering youth and creating opportunities.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good gesture, but let's not forget the ground reality. The metro is overcrowded and expensive for many. Free bus passes for students is a nice move, but what about the common man who travels daily? We need more frequency on buses and better last-mile connectivity.
Shivakumar sir is setting an example! Instead of wasting tax payer money on VIP culture, he's using public transport. This is what we call 'aarogya' for democracy. Hope other politicians follow suit. Metro rides with CM—sounds like a good photo op but also a strong message 🚇👍
I'm from Kanakpura and it's great to see our CM taking the metro. But let's be real—the roads to our constituency are pathetic, and the village needs basic amenities. Hope this visit is not just for the cameras but to actually fix our water and road problems.
Free bus passes for all students is a masterstroke! Earlier only girls got it, now boys too. This will reduce dropout rates. But the government must ensure buses run on time and are safe. Also, why only students? Elderly and poor also deserve free travel.
Arre yaar, 45 minutes in metro is fine for a one-time photo op, but the real test is when he has to attend multiple meetings in a day. Still, I appreciate the thought behind not causing traffic jams. But let's also talk about the 12-lane elevated corridor that will cut through Kanakpura—CM sahab, us par bhi dhyaan do!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.