UP Roadways on a transformation journey, bus stations to get a facelift

State has initiated a makeover of 23 government bus terminals in the first phase of the growth plan

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is transforming the old-fashioned roadways buses as well as stations.
 
While the decade-old, dilapidated bus stations of UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) would be converted into modern malls, the old jalopy buses are set to be replaced with new and comfortable ones.
Transport minister of UP Daya Shankar Singh has initiated a facelift of 23 government bus stations in the state.
 
These 23 roadways bus stations are to be refurbished with help from the private sector. The transport corporation has selected private partners for five of these bus stations, while for the remaining 18, fresh tenders would be floated.

 

These bus stations are to be developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode. The state Cabinet, in its meeting held in June first week, had cleared a proposal in this regard.
 
The bus stations developed under the PPP mode will have air-conditioned lounges for passengers, restaurants, hotels and shopping malls.
 
Facilities such as water kiosks, ATMs, AC toilets and movie theatres will also be provided at the remodelled bus stations.
 
According to transport department officials, the Anambah Interstate Bus Terminal in Lucknow was developed on this line a few years ago. Now, Ghaziabad, Agra, Kanpur and Prayagraj bus stations would get a similar look.

 
To modernise services, the transport corporation has decided to ply new model buses on roads. The corporation has connected all the districts with Delhi through a direct bus service.
 
The UPSRTC plans to ply two buses daily from prominent cities of the state. Earlier, the Yogi government had started a bus service connecting every district with state capital Lucknow.
 
On completing its 50th anniversary, the UPSRTC has added 100 new buses to its fleet.
 
These buses have been deployed under the new service of Rajdhani Express Sewa that will run from district headquarters to Delhi daily. The corporation has started AC buses from a few big districts to the national capital.

 
According to Singh, the fare of Rajdhani Express Buses is 10 per cent higher than ordinary buses and they would have less stoppages. He said that earlier, direct bus service to Lucknow was started from every district. He said that the new Rajdhani buses will take less time to reach Delhi, thus saving time for the passengers.
 
The transport minister added that in six years of the Yogi government, 2,000 news buses have been purchased and the corporation is now running into profit. He said that as compared to a daily income of Rs 12-13 crore earlier, the UPSRTC is now earning Rs 18-21 crore daily.

 
The UPSRTC has started a sleeper bus service on long routes, especially interstate ones. The corporation is signing contracts with private companies to hire sleeper buses.
 
UPSRTC officials have prepared a mega plan for sleeper bus service. More than 100 buses would be deployed on contract with private companies. The minister said that these buses would provide a comfortable journey to those travelling to states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttrakhand.
 
Corporation officials said that these sleeper buses would run from big cities like Agra, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Lucknow.
 
In the first phase, the corporation will engage 100 buses. The drivers of private companies will run these buses and the UPSRTC will provide conductors only. The corporation has invited big travel companies of the country to provide sleeper buses.

 
At present, the transport corporation is providing limited services to other states. Due to the poor condition of buses in the existing fleet, it is not possible for UPSRTC to extend services to other states extensively right now.
 
Officials said that private travel companies have been operating interstate services from major cities of UP where passengers pay more and get less comfort.