Journalism of Courage
Premium
No permit, tax for private operators: UP Cabinet approves rural bus scheme to link all villages
Scheme will cover all 59,163 gram sabhas in the state, including 12,200 villages with no bus service so far
The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhavan. (Express Photo)
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved an ambitious bus service scheme, Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana-2026, to extend bus connectivity to all the 59,163 gram sabhas in the state, including nearly 12,200 villages with no bus service so far.
Under the scheme, private operators will be allowed to run buses on village routes, and the vehicles will be exempt from permits and taxes, making the service financially viable, the government said in a statement.
The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhavan.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Transport Dayashankar Singh said the scheme is designed to make travel easier for villagers, who commute daily for education, work, healthcare and other purposes.
“Students travelling to colleges, villagers going to courts or government offices, and farmers taking their produce to towns will benefit from this service,” Singh said.
The buses will halt overnight in villages, start early in the morning and travel via the block and tehsil headquarters before reaching the district headquarters by around 10 am, the statement said.
After serving other routes during the day, the buses will return to the villages by evening, it added.
Story continues below this ad
Officials said the model is designed keeping in mind the daily routine of rural residents — allowing them to reach towns in time for schools, offices, courts or markets and return the same day.
Since narrow roads make it difficult for full-sized buses to operate in many villages, smaller buses with a maximum seating capacity of 28 passengers will be deployed on such routes, the minister said.
Around 5,000 of the 12,200 unconnected villages cannot accommodate large buses, he added.
To ensure local involvement, drivers, conductors and cleaners will be recruited from nearby villages, making it easier for buses to halt overnight and begin early morning services, it was stated.
Story continues below this ad
A district-level committee headed by the district magistrate concerned will oversee the scheme, the government statement read.
The committee will include the chief development officer, superintendent of police, assistant regional transport officer and the assistant regional manager of the Transport Department. It will also decide routes and determine fares to keep them affordable, the statement further said.
Every selected operator will be required to run at least two buses daily to every panchayat within the block for which they apply, it said.
Officials said the government is planning to roll out the scheme soon and applications will be screened within 15 days, followed by another 15 days for arranging vehicles, and the entire process is expected to be completed in 45 days.
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Live Blog