Belagavi, 5 Oct

Karnataka Chief Minister inaugurated the newly-constructed Belagavi City Bus Terminal under the Smart City project and announced the addition of 700 buses to the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) fleet, including 100 electric buses exclusively for Belagavi.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 49.20 crore under the Belagavi Smart City initiative, the terminal spans 2 acres and 19 guntas, funded equally by the central and state governments. A separate electric bus unit is being established on 5 acres and 5 guntas at Rs 24 crore, also with equal funding.

The modern facility features six floors, 28 platforms, and 1,365 daily trips, serving 143 locations, 56 within the city and 87 suburban areas within a 21 km radius. Daily footfall is around 96,000 passengers. Amenities include parking, commercial shops, drinking water, toilets, mother care rooms, accessible ramps, lifts, escalators, a police outpost, divisional office, and subway connectivity.

Over the past two and a half years, 10,000 recruitments were made across transport corporations. The sector has won over 215 awards. The Shakti Scheme has provided Rs 565.48 crore worth of free tickets to women, at a total cost of Rs 14,456 crore, earning recognition in the Golden Book of World Records and International Book of World Records.