UP Bus Service: Yogi govt to operate additional buses during Diwali and Chhath festivals, ensuring safe travel for all

UP Bus Service:

Govt also announces incentive payments for drivers, and strict monitoring to ensure smooth operations during festival season

Incentive period declared from October 18 to October 30; instructions issued to ensure maximum bus operations and passenger convenience

Additional buses to operate from Delhi to major destinations in eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Kanpur

Frequency of buses to be increased for Ghaziabad, Meerut, Moradabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Agra, Aligarh, and Etawah

Ensuring a comfortable journey for millions of people from eastern UP during Chhath festival will be the government’s top priority

UP Bus Service

Lucknow, October 14: Under the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government has begun extensive preparations to ensure safe and smooth travel for people during major festivals like Diwali, Bhai Dooj, and Chhath. Declaring the period from October 18 to October 30, 2025, as the ‘incentive period,’ officials have been directed to ensure maximum bus operations and passenger convenience.

The Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh said that in view of the heavy rush of passengers during the festivals, additional buses will be operated from Delhi to major destinations in eastern Uttar Pradesh like Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Kanpur. In addition, the number of buses will be increased for Ghaziabad, Meerut, Moradabad, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Agra, Aligarh, and Etawah.

He further said that ensuring a smooth and hassle-free homecoming for lakhs of people from eastern UP during the Chhath festival is a top government priority. The transport minister has also issued clear instructions that all corporation buses must remain on-road during this period. He emphasized that no unfit bus should be operated under any circumstances.

Orders have been issued to ensure the availability of bus assemblies, spare parts, and essential equipment. He also directed that bus stations be kept clean and equipped with drinking water, seating arrangements, digital timetables, and help desks for passenger’s convenience.

The state government has announced a financial incentive scheme for drivers, conductors, and other employees working during the incentive period. Managing Director of the State Transport Corporation, Mr. Prabhu Narayan Singh, stated that drivers and conductors who work for 12 days and operate an average of 300 km per day will receive an incentive of Rs 400 per day making it a total of Rs 4800.

If an employee works continuously for 13 days and meets the set standard, they will receive Rs 450 per day, totaling to Rs 5850. Contractual drivers and conductors will receive an additional honorarium of Rs 0.55 per km for exceeding the standard distance. Workshop employees will receive a lump-sum incentive of Rs 2,500 for 13 consecutive days of duty and Rs 2,100 for 12 days.

For outstanding performance, regional managers will receive Rs 10,000, service managers Rs 5,000, and assistant regional managers will receive additional incentives based on the number of buses under their supervision.

The transport minister also directed that during the incentive period, enforcement teams must conduct regular inspections and ensure that all drivers and conductors undergo breath analyzer tests for safe travel.