UPSRTC unveils mega plan for seamless travel back home

Mahakumbh Nagar: Prayagraj is witnessing a massive gathering of devotees and tourists ahead of Maha Shivratri, the final bathing festival of Maha Kumbh. The grand religious event, held on the banks of the Triveni Sangam, has already seen over 64 crore devotees take a holy dip as of Tuesday. To ensure a smooth return journey for the pilgrims, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has implemented its mega transport plan, deploying thousands of buses to facilitate their travel back to their destinations safely and in an orderly manner.

According to MK Trivedi, UPSRTC Regional Manager, Prayagraj Region, the corporation is fully prepared to handle the heavy influx of pilgrims. To manage the rush, 4,500 buses have been deployed, with 3,050 buses specifically allocated for various routes across the state.

These buses will operate from six designated parking lots; 1,189 buses from Jhunsi Parking, 662 from Bela Kachhar, 667 from Nehru Park, 298 from Leprosy Parking, 148 from Saraswati Dwar, and 86 from Saraswati Hi-Tech City Parking. Buses will be available every 10 minutes to minimise wait times, ensuring a seamless travel experience.

Anticipating a larger-than-expected turnout, 1,450 additional buses have been reserved to handle any sudden increase in passengers. Trivedi stated that these buses are stationed strategically, with 540 in Jhunsi, 480 in Bela Kachhar, 240 in Nehru Park, 120 in Saraswati Dwar, and 70 each in Leprosy and Saraswati Hi-Tech City parking. He assured devotees that there would be no shortage of buses on any route and that all necessary measures would be taken for smooth operations.

To further facilitate movement within the Mahakumbh area, 750 shuttle buses have been deployed to connect temporary bus stations to key locations near the festival grounds.