In a first, an employee of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday night. He was attached to Depot 24, Dooravaninagar, near K.R. Puram, which has since been sanitised.
According to sources, the employee had been on duty on two long routes for a few days before he fell ill. A few of the patient’s primary contacts, including BMTC employees, are now in institutional quarantine.
BMTC managing director C. Shikha has urged commuters and BMTC staff not to panic. “He had availed of leave for three days before he tested positive and had a travel history to Kalaburagi and Vijayapura before he reported for duty at the end of May. He did not show any symptoms at the time. We cannot say that he was infected while he was on duty,” she said.
Health Department officials have initiated contact tracing and are trying to ascertain who he contracted the infection from. “As per norms, all the crew members are screened every day when they report to duty and buses are also sanitised regularly,” Ms. Shikha said.
An official attached to Depot 24 said that a few employees were hesitant to report to duty and a few buses in the fleet had been transferred to other depots temporarily.
‘More steps needed’
The recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the city has caused anxiety among transport service employees. “The BMTC should initiate measures so that both employees and passengers are safe,” said an employee and added that they should be screened while they go home as well.
Another employee demanded that conductors and drivers be given protective gear and disposable gloves. “We are only given sanitisers and masks, which we have worn out. We need new masks,” said the BMTC employee.
Vijaya Bhaskar of the All India Trade Union Congress urged the BMTC and other public transport corporations to increase the insurance provided to employees. “We have written to all the corporations on the issue. Now they are provided with insurance amounting to ₹30 lakh. That apart, all buses should be sanitised at least twice a day,” he said.