Varanasi: Over 4,500 senior women have availed of free travel in ordinary buses of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) in the Varanasi region since the Yogi Adityanath govt launched the Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra Yojana on Aug 26.The scheme, aimed at providing relief to elderly women by enabling them to travel free of cost on UPSRTC ordinary buses, has received a strong response across all eight depots in the Varanasi region, said UPSRTC Regional Manager (Varanasi) Parshuram Pandey.According to Pandey, around 4,500 women aged 60 years and above have used the facility during the first 11 days of the scheme. The government has borne an expenditure of ₹7,30,339 for these journeys.Under the scheme, women aged 60 or above who are residents of Uttar Pradesh can travel free of cost on ordinary UPSRTC buses. They are required to produce an Aadhaar card or voter ID for verification of their age and residence.The initiative is aimed at helping elderly women undertake essential journeys without having to worry about bus fares. Eligible beneficiaries can use the facility while visiting relatives, travelling for personal work, going to another city or undertaking religious journeys.For many senior women, even routine bus fares can put an additional burden on household budgets. The scheme is therefore providing financial relief while enabling them to travel independently and with greater dignity.The strong response across all eight depots in the Varanasi region indicates that the initiative is helping elderly women access affordable mobility for both personal and social needs. Under the prescribed process, eligible women are entitled to lifelong free travel on UPSRTC ordinary buses.
