Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar : The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) Friday said that it resumes the intra-District bus services in Kashmir.
Angrez Singh Rana, Managing Director, JKSRTC told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that the buses will run in all the district headquarters except in the containment zones.
He said that the decision to run buses in the Srinagar Jammu route will be taken only after getting a nod from the government.
“Our Intra-district public passenger busses will operate with up to 2/3rd seating capacity. Seating arrangements are made in all buses to ensure physical distancing, the MD said.
Regarding the precautions that need to be taken by the passengers boarding the SRTC buses, MD said that all passengers need to cover their faces before boarding buses.
He maintained that all safety measures and SOPs will be followed.
One of the officials in the SRTC said that as far as possible, people above 65 years and children below 10 years of age will be discouraged to travel and those suffering from slightest symptoms of cough, cold or high temperature above normal levels will not be allowed.
“Face mask is a basic requirement for entry into the bus station and hand sanitization is a must for each passenger before boarding a bus” he said.
Interestingly the district administration Srinagar Friday announced the re-opening of markets and shops in the district for the first time after the pandemic.
As far as the public transport, the order reads that three wheelers with 02 Passengers have been allowed under SEC guidelines. Further guidelines will be notified separately after ongoing capacity building for public transport.
It is to mention here that in the ‘Unlock 1.0′ the Government had given nod to opening of hotels and hospitality services at 50 percent capacity, all shopping Malls except in Red district where they will operate with 50 percent shops on alternate days and movement of intra-district and inter-district public passenger transport with two-third seating capacity for buses and 50 percent for mini-buses on routes to be notified by the Transport Department with only JKSRTC permitted in Red districts.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for `Unlock 1.0′ was issued by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, who also happened to be the Chairperson, State Executive Committee (SEC).(KINS)
