Lucknow, Aug. 28 -- A heavy rush of passengers was reported at Lucknow bus stations on Thursday as women began travelling to their hometowns for Raksha Bandhan. Buses bound mostly for Eastern UP filled up soon after arriving at major terminals. Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) began its free travel facility for women on Thursday. The scheme will remain in force until midnight on August 29, with the Corporation increasing bus trips on routes witnessing higher demand. The biggest rush was reported on services towards Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, Gonda and Bahraich. Additional trips are also being operated on the Delhi and Kanpur routes, officials said. Lucknow regional manager Vimal Rajan said, "We have deployed additional buses and increased the number of trips according to passenger demand. The focus is on reducing waiting time at bus stations and ensuring that women travelling for Raksha Bandhan can reach their destinations without unnecessary delays." At Charbagh and Awadh bus stations, passengers were seen waiting for buses as several buses arrived already crowded. Women travelling towards eastern UP said they had to wait for multiple buses before finding space. At Awadh Bus Station, Kamta, the unprecedented festive rush kept staff on their toes throughout the day. Station in-charge Ankit Upadhyay said it was the first time that he had seen such a large crowd at terminal, largely driven by the free bus travel facility for Raksha Bandhan. Lucknow region is operating nearly 1000 buses during the festival period, with additional trips being planned depending on the rush. Officials said buses will be deployed on routes where passenger numbers increase. Last year, 4.61 lakh women and attendants availed the facility in the Lucknow region over three days. Across UP, around 80 lakh women and attendants travelled under the scheme during Raksha Bandhan. With the rush expected to increase on Friday and Saturday, transport officials said they would continue monitoring passenger movement and add trips wherever required. htc...