The ‘U-Special’ bus service is starting once again in the capital Delhi from today. This service is mainly being run for the convenience of students. The launching ceremony will be held at the Delhi University Sports Complex.

During this, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Transport Minister Pankaj Singh will be present. This step is considered important towards providing safe, accessible and environment-friendly travel to students.

2020 Kovid closed during epidemic

The ‘U-Special’ bus service was discontinued in 2020 due to Kovid epidemic and lack of buses. Now it is being resumed from August 28 in modern form. In the first phase, more than 20 AC electric buses will hit the road.

These buses will operate on time in the morning and evening keeping in mind the class timing. Along with this, there is a possibility of change in time and route in view of the needs of students.

New schemes of Delhi government also ready

The Delhi government has also planned to start interstate bus service in the coming time. According to officials, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will send 3-4 electric buses in nearby areas as a trial in the first phase. After this, buses based on BS-6 standards will run under the weight lease model. Under the scheme, there is a preparation to start the first service to Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.

17 destination for long distance

The Delhi government has fixed 17 destinations for interstate service, including Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jammu, Ayodhya and Lucknow. These long distance buses will use AC facility, luggage space and modern technology.

The fare is planned to keep the existing market rates lower so that passengers can get cheap and reliable service. DTC believes that this step will make the journey easier for both students and general public.

Dtc saheli smart card: A big step has been taken towards making public transport smooth and safe for women and transgender community in New Delhi. Now, women and transgender residents of Delhi 12 years and above will be able to travel free in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses through ‘Saheli Smart Card’.

This card will be completely digital, in which the name and photo of the card holder will be recorded. According to PTI, this smart card will be issued under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and it will replace the pink paper based tickets currently used.

Free travel only in DTC and Cluster Buses

Although this card will only be valid for free travel in DTC and cluster buses, the card will be required to use other public transport services. To take advantage of this scheme, women residents of Delhi will have to register online on the DTC portal, select the participant bank and then go to the respective branch and complete the full KYC process.

These documents will be required

To get the card, applicants will have to submit Aadhaar card, PAN card, residence proof in Delhi, passport size photo and other KYC documents sought by the bank. Once the KYC is completed, the card will be sent to the registered address by the issuance bank. In case of the card being lost, a duplicate card can also be issued according to their conditions on informing the bank.

The Delhi government says that the ‘Saheli Smart Card’ will start a new digital age for women and transgender, which will not only be free of cost but will also make paperless and more secure.

Although the government will not charge any fee for the journey, banks can still levy a minor fee for issuing cards or maintenance. It will be mandatory to activate it with DTC’s automatic fair collection system (AFCs) before starting the card using.