Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is a public sector passenger road transport corporation which services Uttar Pradesh, India, and adjoining states. UPSRTC operates as a state and interstate bus service and has the largest fleet of buses in North India. The corporate office of the corporation are located in Lucknow.

History

Passenger road transport services in the state of U.P. began on 15 May 1947 with the operation of bus service on the Lucknow – Barabanki route by the erstwhile U.P. Government Roadways. At the time of the establishment of the corporation, it had a fleet of 4,253 buses that were operating on 1,123 routes. The corporation’s earned kilometres operated at that time were 228.8 million kilometres. At the same time, the total number of passengers carried by its buses totalled 251.3 million. By the end of the decade, the corporation’s fleet had reached the size of 5,679 buses. The operations had also increased to 1,782 routes. As a result of this increase in operations, the earned kilometres totalled about 395.3 million kilometres, while the total number of passengers totalled over 449.1 million.

During the IV five-year plan, UP Government Roadways was renamed as Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) on 1 June 1972 under the provisions of the Road Transport Act, 1950. The end of the VI five-year plan saw a further increase in the corporation’s operational parameters. With the increase in fleet strength of 6,198 buses, the earned kilometres of the corporation rose to 425.7 million kilometres. During the VII five-year plan, emphasis was placed on strengthening the fleet of the corporation. By the end of the plan period, the fleet had risen to 8,161 buses from the initial strength of 6,198.

By 1989–90, the Corporation operated 2,525 routes covering 648.6 million kilometres and carrying 471.2 million passengers. During the VIII five-year plan, 2,722 buses were replaced with new buses. However, 3,142 buses were auctioned, and the fleet at the end of 1996–97 became 7,463 buses. During the IX five-year plan, 2,427 buses were replaced, and 3,785 buses were auctioned; at the end of 2001–02, the corporation had 6,105 buses. In the 10th five-year plan, 5,274 buses were inducted, and 4,818 buses were removed from the fleet. At the end of 2006–07, the corporation had 6,561 buses apart from 784 hired buses operated under its control. In the 10th five-year plan, 4,518 buses were inducted, and 4,189 buses were removed from the fleet. At the end of 2011–12, the corporation had 6,890 buses apart from 1,763 hired buses operated under its control.

The corporation has been reconstituted on 30th Oct 2003 with the services in the state of Uttarakhand forming a separate corporation.

Infrastructure

The corporation has been divided into 19 regions for efficient functioning; two of the areas operate urban and suburban services. Each region has a regional workshop, where major repair and maintenance, as well as assembly and reconditioning, is performed. Each region has been further divided into operational units called depots, of which there are 116, including car-section. Each depot has a depot workshop attached to it to provide supportive maintenance facilities.

For heavy maintenance and repair of vehicles, reconditioning of major assemblies, renovation of buses, and construction of bodies on new chassis, two Central workshops have been established in Kanpur: Central Workshop, Rawatpur and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Workshop, and Allen Forest. Eight tyre retreading plants are established at Agra, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Faizabad, Ghaziabad, Bareilly, Kanpur, Saharanpur, Allahabad, Moradabad, and Etawah to provide in-house tyre retreading facilities. For repairs and maintenance of staff cars belonging to the State Government and the corporation, a separate unit named Car Section is established in Lucknow. For imparting training to drivers and technical staff, a Training School is established in Kanpur.

The state transport department is also introducing Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) with a cost of Rs 38.28 crore of which 50 percent is a grant from the centre and the remaining 50 percent would be from private participation. With the implementation of ITMS, the entire transport department in the state would go online. UPSRTC had its own ISBT located at Lucknow.

Network

UPSRTC operates its interstate buses to eight neighbouring states with its largest bus fleet located in North India. Apart from Uttar Pradesh, UPSRTC operates its huge fleet in neighbouring states like Uttarakhand, Delhi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring country Nepal. Apart from these, it operates an international bus service to Nepal. There is a good network of interstate buses with an influx of passengers from proximate states. Its furthest places of operations in each direction are very far away. The northernmost point is Katra, Jammu and Kashmir. The southernmost point is Indore. The easternmost point is Patna, but if international routes are included, then it is Kathmandu, Nepal. The westernmost point is Jodhpur. Till these points, UPSRTC operates its regular bus services for passengers.

Organisations

U.P.S.R.T.C. is headquartered at Lucknow and has 20 regions operating out of 115 depots. The corporation has 300 bus stations of which 249 are in owned premises and 51 in rented premises. For the convenience of the passenger, the Corporation generally has restrooms, canteens, booking offices, toilets, drinking water, timetable and are chart display, enquiry counters, public address systems, lights, fans, seats, benches, PCO, etc. Cleanliness of the bus stations and buses are accorded priority.

Fleet

UPSRTC operates a fleet of around 11,880 buses. Buses are primarily manufactured by Ashok Leyland, TATA. Volvo, and Scania buses are also in service.

Types of buses

• LOHIA GRAMIN SEWA

Operates as shuttle service between district headquarters and nearby towns/villages/tehsils. Caters to rural and economy-conscious traffic. USP – Reduced fares (around 70% of fare of ordinary services) are charged.

• MINI

Operates as shuttle service between district headquarters and nearby towns/villages/tehsils. Caters to rural and time-conscious traffic. USP – Has 32 seats, gets filled up fast, and reaches destination faster.

• ORDINARY

New comfortable buses operate between various districts. Caters to the general traffic. USP – Ordinary fares are charged.

• SUHANI SEWA

These buses have fixed stops & fixed time table and known for their punctuality and service.

• SANKALP SEWA

The bus service will connect interior areas with big cities, these public buses are in saffron colour.

• SLEEPER

New, comfortable, and AC non AC Sleeper services for long routes. Operates between different long-distance destinations. USP – Has 28 seats on the lower tier and 15 berths on the upper tier.

• JANRATH

New, the low-cost AC bus service, very comfortable, AC and point to point services. Operates between different districts as direct services. The idea behind introducing these AC buses with reasonable fare is to make it affordable for low-income class people poor to enjoy this luxury without putting any burden on their pockets

• VOLVO

Spacious and comfortable 2*2 A/c Volvo buses for ease and comfort during the journey. 45 seater, spacious, state of the art Volvo buses with great comfort services between all districts, headquarters, and major routes.

• SCANIA

First transport corporation to introduce SCANIA buses in Northern India. It is a high-end bus that is world-class, affordable, safe, pleasant, and secure for tours and transportation.

• CITY BUS SERVICE

Operates CNG city buses under JNNURM in Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida.

Awards and achievements

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) achieved a magnificent feat by setting a Guinness Book of World Records for the largest parade of buses anywhere in the world. As many as 500 special Kumbh Mela buses were paraded for this purpose in the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. The fleet of 500 buses was paraded on a stretch of 3.2 kilometres. Observers from the Guinness Book of World Records were present at the scene and handed over the certificate.