- UP to run extra buses from August 26 to 31 to manage the Raksha Bandhan travel rush.
- Women can travel free on state-run buses from August 27 to August 29.
- 24-hour control rooms and special incentives announced to ensure smooth bus operation
Ahead of the Raksha Bandhan festival, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed the state transport corporation to run additional buses from August 26 to 31 to ensure smooth travel. On Wednesday, Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh stated that the decision has been made to handle the expected rise in passenger traffic during the festival.
According to PTI report, all corporation buses have been directed to remain on the road during the six-day period, and services are expected to be increased on routes where demand rises, especially towards the eastern part of the state. The officials have assured that extra buses will be deployed on major routes, such as the ones linking Lucknow and Kanpur and Delhi to Eastern UP through Moradabad-Bareilly and Aligarh-Kanpur.
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The Uttar Pradesh government has also decided to provide women with free travel in state-run buses during this period. The free travel facility will be available from August 27 at 6 AM to midnight on August 29. The move is a part of the Yogi Adityanath government's continuing practice of offering women free public transport around the time of festivals.
The government has also asked authorities to ensure cleanliness and drinking water, as well as adequate lighting and fans at bus stops and inside buses. A 24-hour control room will also be set up to monitor bus operations and help passengers around the state. Supervisors will remain posted at busy bus stations and depots, and regional-level officers will oversee the arrangements. An amount of Rs 90,000 has been sanctioned to incentivise employees and supervisors responsible for maintaining arrangements at designated bus stations.
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The administration further cancelled leave for transport employees during this period and announced special incentives for drivers, conductors, and technical staff working during the festival. As per the report, eligible drivers and conductors who complete 1,800 km of bus operations during the six days will get an incentive of Rs 1,200. Contractual drivers and conductors will receive an additional 55 paise per km for operations beyond 1,800 km.
On the other hand, eligible technical staff attending depots and regional workshops on all six days will get a one-time incentive of Rs 500.
