Coronavirus in Goa: KTC sprays its buses, three terminuses with disinfectant

PANAJI/VASCO: The state’s Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd (KTC) started sanitising its buses and bus terminuses on Saturday as a precaution against Covid-19. Three bus stands and at least 100 buses have been sanitised so far, KTC officials said.
“We started sanitisation work on three major bus terminuses — Panaji, Vasco and Margao — from 6am. Other bus stands will soon follow, and the exercise will be carried out regularly from now on,” a KTC official told TOI.
At each bus stand, disinfectant was sprayed by a team of 10-15 people that comprised KTC conductors and staff. After sanitising the stand, the team undertook the work of disinfecting interstate buses, followed by intrastate buses.
There are a total of 14 bus depots from where KTC operates. These include Canacona, Sakhali, Ponda, Honda, Cuncolim, Mapusa, Valpoi, Shiroda, Assonora, Bicholim and Pernem, besides the three that have been sanitised. KTC has a fleet of over 500 buses, a majority of which operate on intrastate routes.
As per the KTC directive, every conductor on duty will clean every part of the bus with disinfectant water at the end of the day.
The Union ministry of road transport and highways recently advised the relevant authorities to undertake all requisite steps to sanitise public transport vehicles. Alhough the state directorate of transport has followed the directives, it has little or no information on how to go about the disinfection process, like what chemical to use, a transport official said.
“We would encourage people to carry their own sanitisers, wear face masks while commuting, and as much as possible, use their own transport instead of public transport till the situation improves,” the official said.
KTC chairman and Vasco MLA Carlos Alemida, who was present at the port town’s KTC terminus during the sanitisation drive on Saturday, said health awareness posters have been put up at the Panaji bus stand in accordance with the Centre’s advisory, while similar talks have been held at the Margao and Porvorim depots. “Announcement will be made at bus stands to educate people. Biometrics have been kept in abeyance till March 31,” he said.