Virudhunagar
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation is yet to operate buses in Virudhunagar district for want of modalities on following physical distancing measure inside the buses and economic feasibility in running buses with just 20 passengers.
The Virudhunagar region of TNSTC has over 150 mofussil buses and over 230 town buses operated from eight depots across the district.
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However, after the lockdown was announced, the buses have remained parked in the depots and have not been operated so far.
“We have got only a broad Government instruction allowing operation of buses. But, we still need to get permission from the district administration along with their requirement for operation of buses,” said a TNSTC official.
“We are waiting for the district administration’s instruction about which routes the buses needed to be operated in,” the official added.
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However, sources in TNSTC are apprehensive about the economic feasibility of operating the buses with mere 20 passengers.
“Who is going to compensate the Corporation for the losses incurred as bus fare hike has not been announced in the current situation,” a TNSTC employees’ association office-bearer said.
Meanwhile, government employees’ associations have demanded operation of buses.
With the State Government asking the government offices to function with minimum staff, operation of buses is of paramount importance to bring employees from distant places to the Collectorate and other offices across the district.
Meanwhile, the work of overhauling of buses requiring annual fitness certificate to carry passengers too has suffered as many workers needed to come from the neighbouring district of Madurai.
The fitness certificates of some 30 buses have expired in the nearly two-month-long lockdown.
A conductor said that the special buses for government staff could be run effectively as only those having valid identity card would be allowed to board the bus.
“In case of opening the buses for general public, the conductors will find it difficult to maintain social distancing by carrying only 20 passengers. The conductors will not be able to prevent passengers from forcibly entering the vehicles where a huge crowd of passengers is waiting at a particular bus stop,” he added.
Eight buses
Collector R. Kannan said that eight routes had been identified in the district for operating TNSTC buses to facilitate Government employees reaching offices across the district from Tuesday.
“We have identified the routes in such a way that the employees could reach the Taluk offices and Panchayat union offices from various parts of the district and return home,” he added.
The buses can accommodate a maximum of 20 persons given the new seating arrangement to ensure social distancing. Besides a maximum of five persons would be allowed to travel standing,” he added.
The bus fare has been revised to a flat fare of ₹ 40 and ₹ 50.
“As of now, these buses would ferry only Government employees and not members of public,” he added.