Hyderabad: No Covid norms at bus pass centres

Secunderabad: Even as students of schools and colleges continue to make beelines to bus pass centres across City, the RTC authorities are failing to implement Covid safety norms.

It seems that people have forgotten the norms, as slowly everything is returning to normality, as schools/colleges have resumed. Passenger rush is being witnessed at ticket counters in city. People are seen standing in long queues without maintaining social distance. No proper safety measures are being taken in bus pass centres.

Hardly any official is seen wearing masks according to the bus passengers. The situation is similar in almost all the bus pass centres in City. They include bus pass counters at Rathifile (Sec'bad station), Shapurnagar, Liberty and Koti.

"It took at least one and half hour to renew my bus pass at Rathifile centre, as there was a long queue. No proper Covid safety measures were taken. The TSRTC officials were not wearing masks. While issuing bus passes to people no proper safety measure were taken," said N Manasa, a student waiting at the centre.

"Even cases are still increasing, it seems that everyone has forgotten Covid norms. On Thursday I have been to the bus pass counter at Shapurnagar. As it has only one counter, there was no social distancing. No official has bothered to tell passengers to maintain social distance. Seeing this I was forced to leave," said S Anushka, a waiting passenger. "With single counter functioning at Koti, we were forced to stand in long queues devoid of Covid norms. Officials of the counter should at least alert people visiting the counter regarding safety norms", said P Umesh, a waiting passenger.

On condition of anonymity, a senior RTC official said: "As slowly schools and colleges resume, bus pass centres are witnessing huge rush. We kept sanitiser bottles in bus pass counters. But hygiene is a personal responsibility, as people are aware of current pandemic."