Guwahati buses return, many flout Covid norms

GUWAHATI: As city buses started operating from Monday here, many instances of the social distancing rule and the 50% occupancy of seats norm being flouted emerged.
However, the authorities did not fine them as it was the first day and allowed them go by issuing a warning and creating awareness on the 50% seats occupancy formula.
Many city buses in Guwahati were found to be flouting the Unlock 3.0 norms and the social distancing norms also went for a toss inside some buses.
Kamrup M, district transport officer Bapan Kalita, who was in the ground, said, “As today is the first day, we warned and sensitised the bus conductors and owners. From tomorrow, they will not get away. Bus owners and conductors have to follow all the Covid-19 protocols. They can’t wait for more than two minutes at a stoppage.”
Kalita said if they did not follow guidelines strictly, they will be fined an estimated Rs 10,000 or their licence and permit will be cancelled.
The Assam government had on Thursday issued a fresh set of unlock guidelines with relaxations on inter-district movement and operation of the city buses. The buses have been allowed to operate with 50% capacity and asked to maintain social distancing.
The city has 700 private buses apart from the government-owned ones which ply daily.
During a meeting with the bus owners’ association on Sunday, the transport department asked the owners to divert the 50% of buses from the route of Jalukbari to Basistha via GS roads and instead asked to ply the buses in the alternative highway route to avoid traffic congestion. The Khanapara- Kachari route via GS roads also asked to ply only 50% of the buses.
The owners, however, opposed the request and decided to suspend about 300 buses in the Basistha-Jalukabari route via GS Roads.