HUBBALLI: Shakti, a free travel scheme, has set a new trend in North Karnataka region. Hosts of weddings and other family ceremonies are now arranging private vehicles only for male guests. They are directly telling women guests to come by bus. None will take it another way, as they are all aware that Shakti is there to minimise travel expenses hosts and guests. The interesting thing is that most families are encouraging their female members to attend weddings, baby showers, housewarmings, and all other ceremonies since they need not spend any money on travel.
Prof GV Valasang, an educationist in Hubballi, shared that he attended a wedding ceremony in Bailhongal last week. “We observed that private vehicles, booked by the marriage party, brought only male guests. When we enquired with the hosts, they said they requested women guests to come by bus,” he added.
Venkatesh Kulkarni, a businessman in Gadag, said that he was in charge of arrangements for the wedding ceremony of a friend last week. “When we were inviting friends and relatives, women members openly said they will come by bus to Hubballi but demanded pick up and drop arrangement from Old Bus Stand to the wedding hall. We had booked a cruiser for male guests and we used it to pick and drop woman guests in Hubballi. As it is all about saving money, none will mind,” he commented.
At the other end, the number of women attendees in family and social gatherings is increasing. GV Hiremath, a theatre personality and the manager of a wedding hall in Hubballi, noted that normally the number of women participants will be more in ceremonies like weddings. After implementation of Shakti, it has increased. It is happening in rural families and most rural woman guests are coming by bus,” he added.
Mayur Patil, a private employee, said that he has told his wife and daughter to attend all weddings and other ceremonies as they have free travel facility. “Since they attended three such ceremonies in Haveri and Koppal in this month, we have managed to save Rs 1,000,” he added.
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