Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana : In a landmark decision aimed at revolutionizing rural transit, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhavan on Tuesday, officially approved the Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana-2026.
This ambitious scheme ensures that state-run or contracted bus services will now reach all 59,163 gram sabhas across Uttar Pradesh, effectively ending the isolation of over 12,200 villages that currently lack formal public transport. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna confirmed that the cabinet cleared 30 out of 31 proposals, positioning this transport overhaul as a priority for the state’s rural economy and student mobility.
End of Permit Raj and Tax Relief for Rural Operators
Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh detailed the operational blueprint, highlighting a major policy shift to encourage private participation. Under the new guidelines, buses operating under the Gram Transport Scheme are entirely exempt from permits and state taxes.
This move aims to lower operational costs, ensuring that ticket prices remain affordable for villagers while keeping the business viable for local operators. By removing these bureaucratic hurdles, the Yogi government expects a swift rollout of services across districts like Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and the western UP belt.
Smaller Buses for Narrow Village Roads
Addressing the geographical challenges of rural UP, the government has mandated the use of specialized vehicles for approximately 5,000 villages where standard large buses cannot maneuver. These smaller buses will have a maximum length of seven meters and a seating capacity of 28 passengers.
This strategic adjustment ensures that even the most remote hamlets in the Terai or Bundelkhand regions gain direct access to tehsils and district headquarters. The vehicles are granted an operational life of 10 years, extendable up to 15 years, providing long-term stability for the fleet.
Night Halts and Optimized Scheduling for Commuters
The scheme is specifically designed to sync with the daily lives of students, office-goers, and farmers. Buses will halt in the villages overnight, allowing them to depart early in the morning to reach district headquarters by 10 a.m. via blocks and tehsils. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., operators can divert these buses for other services, provided they return to the village by 8 p.m.
To ensure seamless management, the government has directed that drivers, conductors, and cleaners be recruited from nearby villages, solving the logistical issue of overnight stays while generating local employment.
Strict Monitoring and 45-Day Implementation Timeline
A high-powered committee led by the District Magistrate (DM), including the SP, CDO, and ARTO, will oversee the selection of operators and the finalization of routes. The government has set a tight 45-day window to complete the entire process, from application screening to vehicle deployment. Regional Managers are tasked with monthly progress reports to the Commissioner to prevent delays.
Each operator must ensure at least two round trips to every gram panchayat within their assigned block daily, ensuring consistent and reliable connectivity for the common man.
