Bus services resume in Bihar, to operate following Covid-19 guidelines

To facilitate smooth running of

public transport in Bihar, the state Transport department has allowed resumption of bus services from Tuesday, an official said.

Buses - both government and private - will follow the guidelines prescribed to curb the spread of COVID-19, a Transport department notification said.

The notification was issued on Monday evening after a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of Crisis Management Group which was chaired by Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar and attended by Transport Secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and senior officials of other departments.

Bus service was suspended following the enforcement of lockdown by the state government on July 16, in view of the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the state. The lockdown in the state has been further extended till September 6.

The Transport secretary has directed all District Magistrates and Senior Superintendents and Superintendents of Police to enforce the decision for smooth running of public transport system in the state.

The Transport department notification, however, does not mention a word on whether or not the movement of inter- state buses will be allowed.

"Except containment zones, buses and all types of public transport will operate following the rules of one seat, one person," Agarwal said, adding that public transport operations - except auto, taxi and cab - were not allowed in view of unlock-3 being enforced in the state.

Every passenger, driver, conductor and other staff of the bus will wear mask and follow the social distancing norms failing which action will be taken against the bus operator/owner besides cancelling the permit of the bus, Agarwal said.