Free bus travel for women on Raksha Bandhan
Women can enjoy free travel in UPSRTC buses within the state on Raksha Bandhan.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath made an announcement to this effect on Thursday and directed the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) not to charge a single penny from women travelling anywhere within the state.
“We have got special orders from the headquarters to offer free bus service to female passengers,” said a senior official with the UPSRTC.
Officials said the special service would start from Sunday midnight, regarding which briefing has been made to all staffers and ad-hoc staff engaged in the operation.
“And it would last till the midnight of Monday evening,” he added.
He further said that the facility would be applicable on all buses across UP. There are around 10,785 buses in the state.
These include general buses, AC and Super Luxury buses, including Volvo and Scania buses.
In Lucknow, the service would be available on all 1,095 UPSRTC buses.
Apart from UPSRTC buses, city buses too would offer free bus service to female bus passengers.
There are around 1,300 city buses in the state and 200 in Lucknow.
If UPSRTC officials are to be believed, it’s for the second time in history that free bus services for female bus passengers on Raksha Bandhan are being offered.
The state government had announced such a service for the first time in 2008.
“After this, it’s for the second time the free service on Raksha Bandhan is being offered,” the officer added.
The government’s decision was hailed by the women here, who said ‘they are humbled by the gesture’.
“It’s a good gesture, which is going to benefit all. It will largely benefit those from the weaker sections of the society, who often find it hard to reach their brother’s place on Rakhsha Bandhan,” said Sudha Shukla, a college-goer.
It’s a good gesture, which is going to benefit all. It will largely benefit those from weaker sections of the society, who often find it hard to reach their brother’s place on Raksha Bandhan SUDHA SHUKLA, a college-goer