Bus services that had remained suspended for more than two months due to COVID-19 lockdown are set to resume on Monday by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), albeit in a limited manner.
Bus services would be operated from 5 a.m. onwards up to 9 p.m. in Tiruchi district, Collector S. Sivarasu said in a release issued here on Sunday.
They have been asked to report for duty at 4 a.m. at their respective depots. The TNSTC, Tiruchi region, would operate 50 % buses in Tiruchi district with 60% of passengers.
Of the 330 buses to be operated in the district on Monday, 180 are town buses and the rest mofussil buses. As a precaution against spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the district administration has advised public to wear mask while travelling in buses as a protective measure.
The administration has also asked travellers to ensure personal distancing while boarding and alighting from the buses. Standard Operating Procedures had been communicated by the district administration to the heads of bus depots and crew members.
Tiruchi district alone accounts for 10 TNSTC depots, including those at Cantonment and Rockfort in city limits, and at Dheeran Nagar, Manapparai, Thuvarankurichi and Thuraiyur in rural parts.
A senior TNSTC official said buses would be operated to various places from all the 10 depots in the district from Monday morning. Disinfectants would be sprayed before the buses leave the respective depots, he said, adding that the driver and conductor of every bus would be provided with mask as a protective measure. Hand sanitisers have also been provided at the depots, the official further said.
During the lockdown period when services were completely suspended, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation had been operating special services exclusively to transport health department staff from various places in the district to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in the city.
To begin with, the buses originating within IV zone will be operated in Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. However, they will not enter the limits of other zones. The passengers will have to alight at the border of other zones and if they want to travel to destinations in other zones, they will have to board the connecting buses. The passengers, who intended to travel outside IV zone are required to possess e-pass.
