Free bus travel for Raksha Bandhan
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that female passengers, accompanied by one companion, be allowed to travel free of charge on Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses from the night of August 27 to the night of August 28 for Raksha Bandhan, as reported by The Economic Times, Hindustan Times, and India Today. The directive aims to ensure that women can reach their homes safely and conveniently for the festival, with the Transport Department, police, and administration instructed to work together to achieve this.
Safety measures for women passengers
Adityanath also ordered that 'Anti-Romeo Squads' remain active, focusing on women's safety, and that traffic management be optimised on major routes during the festival period. He directed strict screening of bus drivers, specifying that no driver under the influence of intoxicants should be allowed to operate a bus. Private bus drivers must also be properly verified, according to the reports.
Additionally, the chief minister ordered the verification of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, and instructed that necessary steps be taken to ensure the safety of female passengers. The Transport and Police departments are to coordinate to ensure safe and smooth travel during Raksha Bandhan.
Review of waterlogging and floods
At a meeting held at his residence with senior government officials, Adityanath reviewed the waterlogging situation across several divisions and districts. He sought details on affected areas and the reasons behind them from the divisional commissioners of Prayagraj, Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Saharanpur, and Ghaziabad, as well as from the Noida Authority, as reported by Hindustan Times and India Today.
The chief minister directed that low-lying areas be identified and additional pumping stations set up wherever needed. Drains blocked by silt, garbage, or other obstructions should be cleaned immediately. He also ordered that encroachments on drains be identified and removed, and instructed mayors and chairpersons of municipal councils and town panchayats to inspect waterlogging and sanitation arrangements with local councillors.
In addition to waterlogging, Adityanath reviewed the flood situation in 19 affected districts, seeking updates from the district magistrates of Ballia, Gonda, Bahraich, Barabanki, Farrukhabad, and Lakhimpur Kheri. He directed all district magistrates to remain alert, ensure district control rooms stay continuously active, and maintain round-the-clock monitoring from the state headquarters level.
The meeting also covered transport arrangements for the festival, sugar availability, the upcoming sugarcane crushing season, and the status of school facilities, according to a government statement cited by Hindustan Times and India Today.