UP Scraps Permits and Taxes for Private Buses Serving Rural Routes

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana-2026, a rural bus connectivity scheme aimed at linking all 59,163 gram sabhas in the state with regular bus services.

The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Lok Bhavan.

Of the 59,163 gram sabhas to be covered, nearly 12,200 villages currently have no bus service at all.

What Is Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana-2026?

The Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana-2026 is a state government scheme designed to bring last-mile bus connectivity to every village in Uttar Pradesh.

It allows private operators to run bus services on rural routes under a framework that removes the two biggest financial barriers, permits, and taxes.

The Uttar Pradesh rural bus scheme is structured around the daily commute needs of rural residents, students travelling to colleges, farmers carrying produce to towns, patients accessing healthcare, and villagers visiting courts or government offices.

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How Will Private Operators Run Under This Scheme?

Private operators who wish to run buses under the Mukhyamantri Gram Parivahan Yojana-2026 will be exempt from both permits and road taxes, making the routes financially viable to operate.

Each selected operator will be required to run at least two buses daily to every panchayat within the block they apply.

Permits will be granted for an initial period of 10 years, with an operational lifespan of 15 years for the vehicles.

To ensure local ownership of the service, drivers, conductors, and cleaners will be recruited from nearby villages. This also makes it practical for buses to halt overnight in villages and begin early morning services.

How Will The Bus Schedule Work?

The schedule under the Uttar Pradesh rural bus scheme is designed around rural residents’ daily routine:

• Buses will halt overnight in villages
• Depart early morning, passing through the block and the tehsil headquarters
• Reach the district headquarters by around 10:00 AM
• Serve other routes during the day
• Return to villages between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM

This allows villagers to reach towns in time for schools, offices, courts, or markets and return the same day.

What Type Of Buses Will Operate?

Since narrow roads make it difficult for full-sized buses to operate in many villages, smaller buses with a maximum seating capacity of 28 passengers will be deployed on such routes.

Around 5,000 of the 12,200 unconnected villages cannot accommodate large buses, making smaller vehicles a practical necessity for a significant portion of the scheme’s coverage.

Who Will Oversee The Scheme?

A district-level committee headed by the District Magistrate will oversee the scheme in each district. The committee will include:

• Chief Development Officer
• Superintendent of Police
• Assistant Regional Transport Officer
• Assistant Regional Manager of the Transport Department

This committee will decide routes and determine fare structures to keep them affordable for rural commuters.

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What Is The Timeline For Rollout?

The government has outlined a 45-day rollout process:

• Applications from private operators will be screened within 15 days
• Another 15 days for operators to arrange vehicles
• Full process expected to be completed in 45 days