People from other districts in the State who were stranded in the city owing to the lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus breathed a sigh of relief as Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) resumed its inter-district bus services on Thursday.
The RTC buses were off the roads for two months due to the lockdown.
The passengers started thronging the the Dwaraka Bus Station (RTC Complex) by 7 a.m., much before the scheduled departure of buses.
“We are happy that the RTC bus services resumed operations. We are using masks, sanitisers and observing social distance as they are for our own safety,” said Rajyalakshmi, a middle-aged woman before boarding a bus to Rajamahendravaram.
A young man of Gummalakshmipuram in Vizianagaram district, was all smiles as finally he was going home. “I am doing B. Tech at the GITAM Deemed to be University. I went home before the lockdown. I came here last week to attend to some urgent work. I managed to come by a bike to Vizianagaram and from there I reached the city somehow. I have been stuck here for the past one week as there was no transport,” he said.
However, there was some confusion initially when some passengers came without prior booking of their tickets online. The police did not allow them to board the buses as those who had reserved their tickets were waiting in queues. There was also some confusion as passengers who had to go to Ichhapuram in Srikakulam district had no proper information on the platform number.
Ticket counters
“The unreserved passengers were not allowed initially as thermal screening was being done for the reserved passengers. However, the problem was sorted out in 10 minutes. Passengers were advised to book tickets online and those who did not have access to Internet were allowed to buy tickets at the five manual counters set up at the bus station. We have also introduced a swiping machine for digital transactions,” Deputy Chief Traffic Manager (Urban) M. Sudhabindu told The Hindu .
The RTC authorities have advised children below 10 years and senior citizens above 65 years not to travel in view of their low immunity. “However, we cannot prevent them from boarding the buses,” said an official.
