Karnataka to set up first State-run women’s driver training institute in Bidadi

Published 1 July 2026 · local

In an initiative aimed at strengthening women’s economic empowerment and increasing their participation in the transport sector, the Karnataka government has decided to establish a

In an initiative aimed at strengthening women’s economic empowerment and increasing their participation in the transport sector, the Karnataka government has decided to establish a dedicated Women’s Driver Training Institute at the Bidadi Industrial Area on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Announcing the initiative while chairing a meeting with senior officials of the Transport Department on Wednesday, Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh said that the institute would be the first initiative of its kind to be established by a state government in the country. The Minister said the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will develop the required infrastructure for the institute, including the main building, a dedicated driving track and other facilities, exclusively for women trainees.

The institute will be set up through a partnership involving the Central Government and the Karnataka government. Association Of Women Entrepreneurs Of Karnataka (AWAKE), a women entrepreneurs’ organisation, will be responsible for providing skill-based training programmes, including professional driver training and other vocational courses aimed at improving employment opportunities for women. Women will be taught all kinds of vehicle driving, officials said, while adding that the modalities are yet to be worked out. Transport Bhavan During the meeting, the Transport Department also discussed plans to establish a dedicated Transport Bhavan for the department.

Currently, the Office of the Transport Commissioner functions from a BMTC building in Shantinagar on a rental basis. The Minister directed officials to examine the feasibility of constructing the proposed Transport Bhavan on around one acre of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) land in Shantinagar. He instructed them to prepare and submit a proposal for constructing the building using the department’s own resources, without placing any financial burden on the state government. Once completed, the new Transport Bhavan will house all offices functioning under the Transport Commissioner’s Office, enabling the department to operate from a single location.

The Minister also directed officials to immediately begin the recruitment process to fill more than 150 vacant Transport Inspector posts, along with other vacancies in the Regional Transport Department, to strengthen the department’s functioning and improve public service delivery.