Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended a program organized by the Transport Department at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on Saturday. On this occasion, he gave a big gift to the rural population of the state.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made a major announcement on Saturday for the residents of the state, especially those living in rural areas. While launching the 'Gramin Janata Bus Seva' (Rural Public Bus Service), he stated that the fare for these buses would be 20 percent less than the normal rate. The objective is to provide affordable and convenient transportation services in rural areas. This service will not only ease commuting but will also provide financial relief to small traders and farmers.
Service to Reach Rural Areas with 250 New Buses
CM Yogi launched this at a program organized by the Transport Department at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan. He announced that 250 new buses would be operated across the state, including in Lucknow. Ten percent of the fleet at each depot will be reserved for this service. These buses will connect rural areas up to a distance of 75 to 80 kilometers. Earlier, the lack of bus service in rural areas was a major problem, which this scheme aims to address. The fare will now be Rs 1.04 per kilometer instead of the normal rate of Rs 1.30 per kilometer. This means a fare of Rs 100 will now cost Rs 80.
Under this scheme, drivers and conductors will be paid at a rate of Rs 2.18 per kilometer, whereas in the normal bus service, this rate is Rs 2.06. Additionally, they will receive a commission of up to 50 percent each on a load factor exceeding 80 percent. An incentive of Rs 5,000 will also be provided for continuous service for 26 days. This will help in empowering drivers and conductors financially.
Special Focus on Road Safety – 'No Helmet... No Fuel' Campaign
According to transport corporation officials, this service will prove to be a boon for small traders, farmers, and rural entrepreneurs. It will become easier to transport fruits, vegetables, milk, and other products to the market. This will boost the rural economy and create new employment opportunities. CM Yogi also emphasized road safety, stating that it is everyone's responsibility.
He lauded the 'No Helmet... No Fuel' campaign and said that small efforts collectively can prevent major accidents. He suggested making the medical fitness check of drivers mandatory every three months. He also stressed the need to raise awareness about accidents caused by alcohol consumption and negligence.
He said, "The Transport Department must work with time-bound commitment. We need to spread awareness regarding road safety so that the loss of life due to accidents can be brought down to the minimum level."
Launch of Electric and Environmentally Friendly Buses
A technical collaboration MoU has been signed with IIT Kharagpur to improve transport services. Furthermore, applications for 48 RTO-related tasks will be simplified through 1.50 lakh Jan Suvidha Kendras (Public Utility Centers). The foundation stones for seven new bus stations were laid, and the process for building 54 world-class stations has begun.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated eight electric AC double-decker buses, 16 electric buses, one retrofitted electric bus, 10 CNG buses, two other AC category buses, 20 ordinary buses (Tata company), 43 buses (Eicher company), and 400 BS-6 buses. Additionally, 11 interceptor vehicles of the Transport Department were flagged off. This initiative will also aid in reducing carbon emissions towards 'Net Zero'.
