On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the Yogi government has presented a major gift of free bus travel to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the state. Under this initiative, women can travel by bus for free—along with one companion—from the morning of August 27 until August 29. This facility commenced on Thursday morning, and no fare will be charged for the journey.

The Chief Minister has issued strict directives to the transport, police, and administrative departments to ensure safe and smooth travel for women. During this period, 'Anti-Romeo Squads' will remain active on key routes to ensure women's safety, and bus drivers will be monitored to prevent anyone from driving under the influence of intoxicants.

**979 buses to operate from Lucknow**
For Raksha Bandhan, the Roadways Lucknow region will operate 979 buses, comprising both AC and ordinary categories. Buses will be deployed as follows: 111 from Charbagh, 117 from Awadh, 142 from Kaiserbagh, 170 from Raebareli, 113 from Haidergarh, 88 from the suburban depot, 5 from Barabanki, and 90 from Alambagh. Route-wise allocations include 46 buses for Gorakhpur, 16 for Bahraich, 53 for Delhi, 13 for Kanpur, 36 for Azamgarh, 17 for Dehradun, 12 for Haridwar, 15 for Varanasi, 35 for Prayagraj, 20 for Agra, and 20 for Raebareli. Additionally, 50 buses will be kept in reserve.

**Staff duty at bus terminals in three shifts**
In anticipation of the rush at bus terminals during Raksha Bandhan, staff and officials will be deployed across three shifts. Regional Manager Vimal Rajan stated that duties at the Charbagh, Alambagh, and Awadh bus terminals will be organized into three shifts: 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM, 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

**Four special trains to provide relief starting today**
To accommodate the passenger rush during Raksha Bandhan, the Northern Railway administration will operate four special trains starting Thursday. Senior DCM Samarth Gupta announced that special trains would run on the Chandigarh-Lucknow and Delhi-Varanasi (via Lucknow) routes. The 04546 Chandigarh-Lucknow Special will depart from Chandigarh at 7:40 PM on the 27th and arrive in Lucknow at 9:30 AM the next morning. On the return leg, the 04545 Lucknow-Chandigarh Special will depart from Lucknow at 1:00 PM on the 28th and reach Chandigarh at 2:10 AM. This 17-coach train will halt at Ambala Cantt, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, and Hardoi stations.

Train 04012 Delhi-Varanasi Special will depart from Delhi at 9:10 PM on the 27th, reaching Charbagh at 6:30 AM and Varanasi at 11:45 AM. On the return journey, the 04011 Varanasi-Delhi Special will depart from Varanasi at 5:50 PM on the 28th, reaching Charbagh at 12:01 AM and Delhi at 10:20 AM the next morning. This 21-coach special train will run via New Delhi, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, Sultanpur, and Jaunpur City. Both trains will feature AC and general class coaches.

**Enhanced Security at Railway Stations**
The deployment of GRP and RPF personnel has been increased at all railway stations, including Charbagh and Lucknow Junction. Surveillance is being maintained via CCTV cameras. At Amausi Airport, the bomb disposal squad and dog squad are conducting continuous checks. Passengers have been advised to arrive at the airport with extra time to spare.

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