City bus service losses increase amid COVID-19 scare
20 Mar 2020 09:45:46
Staff Reporter :
Amid Coronavirus threat, Nagpur city bus service is witnessing a sharp fall in the number of commuters. Meanwhile, Transport Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has issued directions that no commuter should travel standing in city buses. The people have responded to the administration’s appeal of not moving around, if it is not necessary.
Narendra alias Balya Borkar, Chairman of NMC Transport Committee, told mediapersons on Thursday that the city bus service was witnessing a fall in number of commuters. “Daily loss because of fall in number of commuters is around Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh,” he said. Still, NMC Transport Department has taken various initiatives for public safety. According to Borkar, directions were issued that no commuter should travel standing in city buses.
To ensure this, 25 employees were deployed at Mor Bhavan. They stop commuters from boarding if all seats are occupied, he added. Further, disinfectant spraying is done in buses. Masks are being made available to drivers and conductors. Also, he added, air passengers coming from Dubai by flight to Nagpur airport are being taken to MLA Hostel for quarantine. “City buses are pressed into service to transport these passengers from airport to MLA Hostel, between 2 am and 4 am daily. The service has been started from March 17,” he said.