LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to make the bus travel for women above 60 years of age free. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced this while addressing an event organised here to flag off 150 new diesel buses of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) here on Wednesday.
In fact, providing free bus travel to senior women citizens was one of the promises made by the BJP in its manifesto ahead of 2022 Assembly elections.
Moreover, the CM also announced free bus rides for every woman for 48 hours in the state on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. CM Yogi said that women can travel for free in government buses between August 10 (midnight) to August 12 (midnight).
Later taking to the twitter, the CM posted: "On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan in Uttar Pradesh, all mothers, sisters and daughters will be provided free travel facility for the next 48 hours in government buses from 12 midnight today (August 10) to midnight of August 12."
“The service will help the sisters and mothers to travel in a safe environment to reach their destination to celebrate Raksha Bandhan.”
Stating that if airports can be built “world-class” why can’t bus stations be, the CM called for the need of better bus terminals equipped with facilities like dormitories, restaurants and clean toilets.
He remembered how the buses of the transport department carried migrant workers returning from different parts of the country to their destination during the pandemic. “It was the largest exercise to ferry passengers for free after the Kumbh Mela of 2019,” he added.
He stressed on the need to replace and phase out old buses in order to improve the travel experience of the passengers. Expressing concern over the rising rate of accidents, CM Yogi also asked the
transport department to ensure a yearly health report of the drivers. “The biggest concern is deaths caused in road mishaps. I’m saddened to say that the number of deaths in road accidents is over 20,000 a year. We need to take measures to reduce it,” he said.
He asked the transport minister to link state transport corporation workshops with ITIs where youngsters can be skilled by providing training.