The Coimbatore Division of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) increased the number of town and mofussil buses on Monday to reduce overcrowding.
While only 695 buses were operated on Saturday across Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and the Nilgiris districts, 815 buses were operated on Monday. In Coimbatore district, 271 town and mofussil buses were operated, TNSTC officials said.
District Collector K. Rajamani conducted a surprise check at the Gandhipuram Town Bus Terminus on Monday after complaints of crowding in a few buses surfaced. He told the drivers and conductors to allow passengers only if they wore masks and not to allow excess passengers.Instructions for passengers regarding the 60 % occupancy were announced through speakers at all the bus terminuses, according to TNSTC officials.
Awareness programme
The four Regional Transport Offices (RTO) in Coimbatore city will soon conduct awareness programmes for passengers regarding physical distancing and other COVID-19 prevention measures while travelling in buses, Transport Department sources said. Motor Vehicle inspectors and other officials were conducting regular checks and issuing warnings to drivers and conductors of the buses found with higher occupancy, sources added.