The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will commence long-distance inter-district bus services from August 1 as part of the government decision to further open the public transport mode in the State.
All its long-distance services that remained off the road since the pandemic-induced lockdown began on March 25 will be available for commuters from Saturday.
Counter move
The move comes in the wake of the withdrawal of night curfew as per the Unlock 3 norms and to counter the decision of private bus operators not to operate services from August 1 in support of their demands.
The private bus operators are demanding steps like waiver of road tax and diesel at subsidised rate to save the industry that is battling poor patronage.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday that inter-district services would have to follow the COVID protocol.
However, the government had decided not to take the risk of resuming bus services to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in view of the increase in COVID-19 cases.
A KSRTC official said the buses would neither halt in containment zones or operate from such zones.
He said 30 of its 92 depots were in containment zones.
“Commuters will be allowed as per the seating capacity and will not be allowed to stand. Moreover, face mask is mandatory to travel in buses. The number of long-distance services will depend on the patronage,” he said. In May, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has given the authority to the State to decide on intrastate and interstate movement of passenger vehicles and buses after securing the approval of the States concerned during the extended lockdown. However, the government allowed the KSRTC and private buses on shorter routes within the districts.
