Gujarat: State transport bus service resumes

In a reprieve for people, the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) started running its buses across the state from Wednesday, after a nearly two-month-long hiatus due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. The bus service had come to a halt from March 25, when a nationwide lockdown came into force.

The state government had lifted many restrictions on May 19. However, the bus service resumed from Wednesday. To facilitate the bus operations, the GSRTC has divided 33 districts in the state into five zones. These five zones are- North zone, Central zone, South zone, Saurashtra zone and Kutch zone. A bus from one particular zone will not enter another zone, said a government release.

The buses will ply between 8 am and 6 pm. Under the present system, a bus from Surat will not go till Rajkot in Saurashtra or till Palanpur in the north. However, buses from Kutch zone are allowed to enter north as well as adjoining Saurashtra zone districts.

Due to the high number of coronavirus cases, entire Ahmedabad district and city has been left out from bus service.

To stop the spread of coronavirus, each bus will carry only 60 per cent passengers of its total capacity, the release said.

"We have also made it compulsory for the passengers to wear masks. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to board. Buses are being sanitised before letting in passengers and after reaching the destination," Transport Minister R C Faldu said.