Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has announced free bus travel for women during Raksha Bandhan, allowing them to travel across the state without paying any fare from the morning of August 27 to August 29. Each woman will also be allowed to travel with one companion under the special arrangement.
The free travel facility began on Thursday morning. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the transport department, police and district administration to ensure safe and smooth travel for women during the festival.
Bus travel arrangements
As part of the security arrangements, Anti-Romeo Squads will remain active on major routes and around bus stations. Bus drivers will also be monitored to ensure that no vehicle is operated by a driver under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicant.
In Lucknow region, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation will operate 979 air-conditioned and ordinary buses during Raksha Bandhan. These include 111 buses from Charbagh, 117 from Awadh, 142 from Kaiserbagh, 170 from Rae Bareli, 113 from Haidergarh, 88 from the suburban unit, five from Barabanki and 90 from Alambagh.
Additional buses deployed
Additional buses will be deployed on major routes. These include 46 buses for Gorakhpur, 16 for Bahraich, 53 for Delhi, 13 for Kanpur, 36 for Azamgarh, 17 for Dehradun, 12 for Haridwar, 15 for Varanasi, 35 for Prayagraj, 20 for Agra and 20 for Rae Bareli. Another 50 buses will be kept in reserve to meet any sudden increase in demand.
With a large rush of passengers expected at bus stations, officials and employees will be deployed in three shifts. Regional Manager Vimal Rajan said staff at Charbagh, Alambagh and Awadh bus stations would work in shifts from 6 am to 2 pm, 2 pm to 10 pm and 10 pm to 6 am.
Special trains for festival rush
The Northern Railway will also operate special trains from Thursday to manage the festival rush. According to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Samarth Gupta, special services will be operated between Chandigarh and Lucknow and between Delhi and Varanasi via Lucknow.
Train 04546 Chandigarh-Lucknow Special will leave Chandigarh at 7.40 pm on August 27 and reach Lucknow at 9.30 am the next morning. Its return service, train 04545 Lucknow-Chandigarh Special, will leave Lucknow at 1 pm on August 28 and reach Chandigarh at 2.10 am the following day.
The 17-coach train will halt at Ambala Cantt, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur and Hardoi.
Train 04012 Delhi-Varanasi Special will leave Delhi at 9.10 pm on August 27 and reach Charbagh at 6.30 am and Varanasi at 11.45 am the following day. The return service, train 04011 Varanasi-Delhi Special, will leave Varanasi at 5.50 pm on August 28 and reach Charbagh at 12.01 am and Delhi at 10.20 am the next morning.
The 21-coach train will operate via New Delhi, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, Sultanpur and Jaunpur City. Both special trains will have AC and general-class coaches.
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Security measures intensified
Security arrangements have also been stepped up at railway stations in Lucknow. Additional Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force personnel have been deployed at Charbagh, Lucknow Junction and other stations. CCTV cameras are being used for round-the-clock surveillance.
At Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Amausi, bomb disposal and dog squads have been deployed for security checks. Passengers have been advised to reach the airport well in advance to avoid delays amid the festival rush.
