Bengaluru, 18 October

Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre on Sunday asked officials to draw up a plan to build 1,000 rural bus shelters under the VB-G RAM G employment guarantee scheme.

In a written communication to the department secretary and the VB-G RAM G commissioner, Khandre asked to identify 1,000 villages with high passenger footfall and design bus shelters that reflect the rural character and local heritage of the respective areas.

The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister directed officials to estimate material and wage costs and submit a detailed proposal within 15 days, his office said in a release.

The directive follows reports that residents in several villages across the state’s 5,927 gram panchayats are forced to wait in the sun and rain due to the lack of legitimate bus shelters, despite the availability of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus services.

The VB-G RAM G scheme permits the construction of new bus shelters and the maintenance of existing ones.

Khandre has directed officials to formulate a comprehensive plan for the initiative, which is also expected to generate employment for unskilled workers under the scheme.