• One entry, exit for passengers at Sub-urban bus stand
• Thermal screening must for all before boarding bus
• No inter-State and Air-Conditioned buses
• City bus service based on number of passengers
• Health check-up must for drivers, conductors

Mysore/Mysuru: With Karnataka Government requesting the Centre to allow it to resume public transport from tomorrow (May 18) under COVID-19-induced lockdown 4.0, the KSRTC authorities in Mysuru are eagerly awaiting nod from the Government to re-start bus operations in the City and District. The authorities are expecting a direction in this regard by this evening.

The KSRTC had suspended all bus services including inter-State operations from Mar. 25, following the nationwide lockdown.

Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore’ this morning, KSRTC Mysuru Rural Divisional Controller R. Ashok Kumar said that they are keenly awaiting the Government’s decision. “We are fully prepared to start operations from tomorrow itself. Bus services will re-start on the date specified by the Government and it is hoped that everything will be clear by this evening,” he said.

Only one entry, exit

Explaining the measures taken by the KSRTC, Ashok Kumar said that there will be only one point of entry for passengers at the Sub-urban Bus Stand (the passenger path leading inside the bus stand from the centre of the bus stand complex) and all passengers are required to undergo thermal screening before boarding the bus.

A maximum of 30 passengers are allowed in a bus in keeping with social distancing norms. Face masks are compulsory and every passenger should use hand sanitiser which is available at the entry point.

There will be only one exit point for passengers, he clarified and added that social distancing will be strictly maintained at the bus stand, for which square box markings have been drawn in yellow at all passenger platforms.

Entry of buses to the stand has been streamlined with the erection of barricades, in order to avoid crowding of buses inside the stand. He further clarified that there will be no Inter-State and Air-Conditioned bus services for now. All buses are washed and sanitised and the windows, seats, doors and window screens have been cleaned using water mixed with disinfectants, he added.

City bus service

KSRTC Mysuru City Divisional Controller S.P. Nagaraj said that city buses will start operating once the Government gives nod. However, due to Corona scare, there may be less number of passengers and buses will be operated based on the number of passengers for now.

Thermal screening of passengers is mandatory and he has written to the Health Department to depute health staff to screen passengers.

Health check-up must for drivers, conductors

It is compulsory for drivers, conductors and all other staff to wear face masks and all drivers and conductors have to undergo health check-ups and only those producing health certificates will be allowed to report for duty.

Meanwhile, all KSRTC Depots in the city too are geared up to re-start bus operations. The City Division, with a fleet of 448 buses, has four depots —- Bannimantap, Sathagalli, Vijayanagar and Kuvempunagar—- while the Rural Division which has control over 700 buses, has depots in Bannimantap (Depots 1,2 & 3) in the city and at Periyapatna, Hunsur, H.D. Kote and K.R. Nagar.

Mysuru KSRTC reports loss of Rs.66 crore

The KSRTC Mysuru Rural and City Divisions together have reported a loss of Rs.66 crore revenue due to the lockdown. While Rural Division suffered a daily revenue loss of Rs. 80 to 82 lakh, the City Division suffered a loss of Rs.30 to 32 lakh. In total, the City Division has recorded a revenue loss of Rs.18 crore, while the Rural Division a loss of Rs. 48 crore, totally amounting to Rs.66 crore.

Cab, auto services too awaiting nod

Just like the State-run KSRTC, autos, cabs, taxis etc., too are eagerly awaiting nod from the Government to operate. However, with the State Government awaiting clearance from the Centre, the suspense over the resumption of private public transport services, which also play a vital role in public movement, has continued and it is widely expected that the Government will allow resumption of service from tomorrow with a set of conditions.