Private buses to start operations from today

Private buses to start operations from today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:10.06.2020

Federation of Bus Operators Associations of Tamil Nadu (FOBTN), the apex body of private bus operators across the state, will resume private bus services from Wednesday. However, private buses will not be operated in Covid-19 hotspots -- Tiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kanchipuram districts. The federation said private buses -- both city and mofussil fleets -- will operate with existing ticket fares.

FOBTN said there were 4,600 private buses in the state but they do not operate in Chennai, Madurai city, Nagercoil and Ooty. Since March 24, the fleets were grounded due to the lockdown. After 78 days, private bus operators will resume services by adhering to precautionary measures as instructed by the government. However, 200 buses in the hotspot districts will stay grounded.

To ensure social distancing, the buses will operate with less than 60% occupancy, like the state-run TNSTC. Crew members of private mofussil and city buses will be provided with safety gears, including facemasks. Seats will be allotted to passengers ensuring social distancing.

“We will operate our buses within the zones classified by the state government. For the routes connecting destinations in other zones, we will end our service at the final most major bus stops near to the boundary of other zones,” D R Dharmaraj, secretary, FOBTN told TOI. Buses on their return to the bus stands will be sanitised by the crew. The district-level private bus operators associations will bear the expenses in sanitising the fleets. “People have to adhere to the restrictions by wearing facemasks, our crew members were told not to overcrowd the fleets,” Dharmaraj added.

Private buses will not be operated in Covid-19 hotspots --Tiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kanchipuram districts. They do not operate in Chennai, Madurai city, Nagercoil and Ooty