Zero-rupee tickets for three days: women ride Roadways buses free from Varanasi over Raksha Bandhan

Sisters travelling home for Raksha Bandhan will not pay a rupee on a Roadways bus this week. The state government has opened a three-day free-travel window on Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation services, running from 6 am on Thursday, 27 August to midnight on Saturday, 29 August. It applies to women of every age, and it is not restricted to one class of bus — an ordinary service and a higher category both carry the concession. For Varanasi the practical detail is the fleet. More than 500 buses run under the Varanasi region during these days, covering the everyday routes out of the city, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Prayagraj among them. No pass or paperwork is needed at the counter: the conductor issues a ticket made out at zero rupees, which is also how the corporation keeps count of who travelled. Regional manager Parsuram Pandey has passed the government's order down to the depots so crews are ready before the rush begins. One companion travelling with a woman passenger is covered as well, which is what makes the scheme usable for a mother with an escort or a sister travelling with a relative. If you plan to use it, reach the depot early — Thursday to Saturday is the busiest stretch of the Raksha Bandhan travel season, and buses on the Gorakhpur and Prayagraj runs tend to fill first. Keep the zero-rupee ticket with you for the whole journey.

Compiled by HelloBanaras from public sources: Amar Ujala — Varanasi · Asianet News Hindi