APSRTC resumes bus services from today

Vijayawada: After a gap of nearly two months, the APSRTC will be resuming its services from Thursday in the state. Necessary arrangements are being made to start services by plying 1,683 buses in 436 routes in the State.

As the state government has not received permission to operate inter-state services to Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it will operate only inter -district services.

It is not just for boarding flights but even to get into a bus, passengers need to arrive 45 minutes ahead of their travel schedule.

With the APSRTC resuming its operation intra-state from Thursday, passengers are asked to arrive at least 45 minutes before commencing their journey as travellers will be screened for Covid-19. The RTC is giving top priority to maintain physical distance in the buses and changed the seating pattern in the luxury and super luxury buses. In place of three passengers on driver's side, now the middle seat will be left empty. Similarly on the other side instead of two, only one passenger will be permitted in each seat.

No city services in the state will be permitted for the present. The buses will be run without conductors as the authorities fear that they could become super carriers of Covid-19 or may face threat of getting infected. Entry and checking of tickets of passengers will be made with the help of mobile phones by the drivers and other staff.

People with more than 65 years of age and less than 10 years of age are discouraged to travel in the buses due to risk of Covid-19 infection. Buses will be halted at the important bus stations on the request of passengers.

In Vijayawada, Pandit Nehru Bus Station, one of the biggest in the country, has made all arrangements to maintain physical distance at the ticket counters and enquiry counters.

Foot prints with paintings were made at the counters so that the passengers can stand with distance of one meter in the queues. It is expected about 100 buses will arrive and depart from the PNBS on the first day of operations on Thursday.

Arrival and departure blocks were cleaned. Priority is given to operate the buses to main routes in the district like Vijayawada-Machilipatnam, Vijayawada-Nuzvid, Nuzvid-Jaggaiahpet etc.

Inter-district services like Vijayawada-Tirupati, Vijayawada-Vizag, Vijayawada-Kakinada.

Sanitizers will be arranged at the bus station for the convenience of passengers wearing masks only will be allowed to board the buses.

In a step to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, even if the passengers book tickets, those suffering from cough, cold and fever will not be allowed to travel. In order to maintain social distancing only one traveller will be allowed to sit in a two-seater and buses have been altered accordingly.