Bus operations resume to a lukewarm response in Bihar

PATNA: Bus transport services in the state rolled off on Tuesday after 40 days to a lukewarm response from city as well as inter-district passengers. The state government suspended bus services on July 16 due to a spike in Covid cases.
On Tuesday, the first bus left the Bankipore bus-depot near Gandhi Maidan for Danapur at 6.30 am with 14 passengers while the first inter-district bus left for Biharsharif with 10 passengers at 7 am. Altogether 85 city buses (out of 120) and 20 inter-district buses of Bihar State Road Transport Corporation were back on the roads on Tuesday. However, inter-state bus services have not resumed yet.
Transport secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told this newspaper that as the resumption of bus service notification was released late on Monday evening, many people were unaware that city and inter-district bus links have resumed.
“We were expecting the buses to be overcrowded, but social distancing norms were followed diligently by the bus operators, people were wearing masks. The vehicles were sanitised after each trip,” Agarwal said.
He added, “We are expecting that the footfall in buses would increase within the next few days. People who need medical treatment at hospitals in Patna have heaved a sigh of relief with the resumption of inter-district services.”
People queued up at the Bankipore bus depot on Tuesday with each passenger getting a hand sanitizer before entering the bus. “We sanitized all seats and touchpoints after our first trip to Vaishali and allowed only 35 passengers, which is the seating capacity of our bus. Besides, we ensure that all passengers cover their faces with mask or gamcha,” said a bus driver Gopal Singh.
Passenger count was low at Meethapur bus-stand as well. Md Shahid, a bus driver at Meethapur, said, “Passengers are less since it was the first day, we are expecting that the situation will improve in a few days. We are happy that the state government has allowed the bus services to resume, we have been out of work for months.”
Sudhan Kumar, a resident of Anisabad said, “Bus ride is safer than the auto-rickshaw. Social distancing norms are not followed in autos.”
Manoj Singh, who reached Patna from Motihari with his father for a health check-up on Tuesday afternoon, said his father was suffering from abdomen pain but due to bus ban he could not come. “We have come from Motihari and are going to PMCH for treatment,” he said.
Eight buses flout norms: Patna: Eight bus drivers were caught for violating social distancing norms and overloading passengers in Patna on Tuesday. According to Patna motor vehicle inspector Mrityunjay Kumar Singh, Rs 1,07,000 fine was collected from the offenders.
A bus leaving Meethapur for Ara-Buxar was caught at 12.45 pm. “Around 15 passengers were standing in the aisle after all the seats were full. Social distancing norms were not followed. There is also a permit violation and tax default. The violator will pay Rs 52,000, including Rs 3,000 for overloading, Rs 2,500 for violating the law, Rs 10,000 for permit violation and remaining for taxes,” Singh said.
Another bus from West Bengal was caught at Transport Nagar for overloading and entering Bihar without a permit. The bus was impounded and the violator fined Rs 55,000.