Bus services resume in Bihar

    Patna, Aug 25 (PTI) 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. PTI AR
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)