Inter-state public transport resumes in Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh government has allowed operations of inter-state public transport, which were shut since mid March due to the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Thursday.

State Transport Commissioner Kamalpreet Singh on Wednesday issued an order for resumption of the inter-state bus service and movement of other public transport with India tourist permit in the state with immediate effect for people's convenience, the public relations department official said.

"But to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, the transporters will have to follow certain guidelines issued by the transport department while operating the passenger buses," he said.

As per the guidelines, buses will be permitted to stop at designated points only while during the journey, travellers, as well as the bus staff, will have to keep their faces covered, he said.

"While boarding and de-boarding of passengers, the bus operator will have to ensure strict compliance of social distancing norms. Even during the travel, social and physical distancing will have to be followed inside the vehicle," he said.

The buses will have to be sanitised regularly and for its sanitisation, chemicals like sodium hypochlorite will be used, he said.

During the travel, cigarette, paan, gutka, tobacco consumption and spitting will be strictly prohibited, he said.

The bus operators will have to keep a date-wise record of the route, details of passengers and bus staff so that it could be presented before district administration for contact tracing purposes whenever required, he said.

The government had last month allowed intra-state operations of public transport.

Till Wednesday, Chhattisgarh had reported 24,550 COVID-19 cases.

However, of these cases, 10,174 were active cases as 14,145 people have been discharged and 231 have died.