Lucknow:Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday dedicated the state-of-the-art Alambagh bus terminal to the public. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, he also said that metro project work would soon begin in Kanpur, Agra and Meerut, while detailed project reports for metro projects in Gorakhpur, Allahabad and Jhansi would be prepared.
“Once it was said that the UP transport corporation would close down. But in the past one year, the department has earned a net profit of ₹122 crore. In the coming days, 21 more bus stations and shelters of the state will be spruced up,” said Yogi before flagging off two buses to the Swaminarayan temple in Chhapaiya via Ayodhya.
The modern, high-tech terminal, constructed at an overall cost of over ₹232 crore, will facilitate regular services from Wednesday, with 395 buses plying from here in the first phase.
{{/usCountry}}The modern, high-tech terminal, constructed at an overall cost of over ₹232 crore, will facilitate regular services from Wednesday, with 395 buses plying from here in the first phase.
{{/usCountry}}As the chief minister pressed the button to inaugurate the terminal, supporters raised slogans.
Addressing the gathering, Yogi said that his government had made travel on state-owned buses free for the differently abled, as well as for women and girls on the festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’. “In all, 85,000 sisters travel for free on that day,” he said, adding that 1.2 lakh kilometres of roads had also been made pothole-free.
“The transport department now has the challenge of Kumbh 2019 coming up. The department needs to devote itself to cater to the people coming to Kumbh,” said the chief minister, stressing that services for Kumbh 2019 must be provided with accountability.
Elaborating on his government’s other achievements, he that UP, which had ranked 17th in housing in the country, now ranked right at the top with 11 lakh new houses having been built. He also said that 40 lakh electricity connections and 80 lakh toilets had been provided to individuals/ households.
The swanky Alambagh bus terminal, spread on an area of about 2,50,000 sq ft, is a public-private partnership project undertaken together by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and the Shalimar corporation.
Kunal Seth, director, Shalimar corporation, said, “The transit station complex includes a mega mall, a food court, a gaming zone, a fine dining area, a six-screen multiplex and a world class hotel -- all combined into a comprehensive area to make travelling in Lucknow pleasurable.”
CHARBAGH BUS STATION NEXT?
The Charbagh bus station could be the next in line to get a facelift. Transport officials said that the Charbagh station would also be renovated to include modern facilities, as was done with the Alambagh terminal.