
Free three-day bus travel for women on Rakshabandhan
Women can travel with one co-passenger for a free ride. Transport minister Dayashankar Singh has ordered plying of maximum number of buses between Aug 7 and Aug 12 to avoid any inconvenience to people.
The minister directed that 100% of buses must be operational during Rakshabandhan and instructed all officers to be on duty unless faced with adverse circumstances. To manage the increased demand, regions have been asked to deploy additional buses, including contracted ones, as needed.
To ensure safe travel, checking teams have been tasked with conducting breath analyzer tests on drivers and conductors to check for alcohol consumption. Additionally, buses have been directed to pick up passengers not only at designated stoppages but also those waiting along the route.
Drivers and conductors, including the contractual ones, who are present during the six-day period and complete the operation of 1800 km by operating the bus daily, will get an incentive of Rs 1,200.
Besides, on working for six days during the incentive period and earning more km than the prescribed km, additional payment at the rate of 55 paise per km will be payable to the drivers and conductors.
Similarly, if the technical staff of the depot and regional workshop are present every day during this period, they will receive a one-time incentive amount of Rs 500. Because the availability of passengers is more at Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Meerut, Bareilly, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Kanpur, and Etawah bus stations, officers and employees will be put on duty at the said bus stations as per requirement.
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