The Coimbatore division comprises Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and The Nilgiris districts. Only 50 per cent of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) fleet was operated in adherence to coronavirus safety protocol on the first day.

“Of the total 2,747 buses, nearly 1,400 buses were operated in the four districts. As it was Day One, only 50 per cent of the fleet was operated. The passenger patronage was good in most of the areas. Hence, we have decided to ramp up the fleet strength by another 20 per cent from Tuesday,” said a senior official of the transport corporation. In Coimbatore alone, around 511 buses comprising 324 town buses and 187 mofussil buses, out of its total fleet of 1,012 buses were operated.

The official said that the passengers were allowed to board only if they were wearing masks and they were seated with enough spacing inside the bus to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

However, there were hardly any private buses on the road as the operators were claiming that running the buses with 50 per cent occupancy would not be financially viable for them following an increase in fuel prices.

In Tirupur, the labourers and mainly women employed in textile units heaved a sigh of relief after buses resumed operations. The passengers have sought to increase buses bound to other districts, including Salem, Dindugul and Madurai as there was good rush in them.