By UNI

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Monday made history by signing an agreement for plying of buses, which was pending for the past four decades.

In the presence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat along with the transport ministers of both the states, the agreement was signed here which will enable UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses to ply in additional 39,000 kms in 216 routes with making 2646 trips daily.

Similarly, Uttarakhand government buses would travel 2.52 lakh kms in UP on 335 routes with over 5000 trips daily.

Besides, 57 routes have been kept for the private buses too in both the states.

Both the CMs in their speech claimed that it is a historic day for both the states as now the people of UP and Uttarakhand would have facilities to travel to their destination more easier.

"Better coordination between both the states led to the agreement which was pending for the past four decades," the CMs said.

Yogi Adityanath said that his government was doing everything to provide facilities to the people and bus services are the vital part of it.

"Both UP and Uttarakhand governments are working for the people and taking decisions to benefit the people," he said while admitting that the agreement programme was scheduled to be held in Dehradun but as he was busy, Mr Rawat was kind enough to come to Lucknow.

"This agreement would facilitate the pilgrim from UP to reach directly to the char dham and other tourists spots in Uttarakhand," he said.

The UP CM, who also launched 51 new saffron buses to be used as shuttle during the Kumbh mela at Prayagraj next year, said that the pilgrims going to Kumbh would get better facilities this time and shuttle buses would ferry the passengers from the parking area to the main mela spot.

The government would be using 500 such saffron buses for Kumbh this time.

Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat said that after the Narendra Modi government came to power in the Centre, the development work in the entire country has accelerated.

"Both the BJP governments in UP and Uttarakhand are tirelessly working for the people and the agreement on the bus services are one of it," he said while claiming that the dispute over the agreement was sorted out in a day by both the governments.

UP Transport Minister Swantra Deo Singh in his address said that after making a profit of Rs 122 crores in 2017-18, the UPSRTC was purchasing 1350 buses, with 250 new buses being added in the fleet every month.

He said that UPSRTC has introduced pink bus service exclusively for women passengers and very soon 50 new pink buses would be introduced which will have women drivers and conductors.

He also said that 250 new CNG buses would also be purchased in which 3 CNG buses were launched today.