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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 10 (EMN): The Nagaland State Transport (NST) bus services are likely to resume soon with 50% passenger capacity, maintaining all safety protocols prescribed by the government.
NST services have been suspended for the last six months due to Covid-19 pandemic. Though the buses are yet to resume its commercial service, they have been procured for transporting returnees to various districts ever since the lockdown started in Nagaland.
Secretary of Transport, A Robin Lotha, during an interaction with media persons on Thursday in Kohima, said that the department is working to ensure resumption of NST bus services in various districts.
‘At the moment, a specific time cannot be given as to when the bus services will resume but definitely it will start in a short while or at the earliest possible time,’ he said.
According to him, ‘it is understandable’ that all travellers may not be in a position to pay for taxis or hire vehicles. Therefore, the department has already considered the passengers’ requirement for NST bus services. Accordingly, certain modalities have been worked out to resume the services, he informed.
‘While enforcing social distancing in the bus, the rates may have to be enhanced this time. In doing so, the department is not trying to make things difficult for passengers. But the department should also be on the safer side because the vehicles need to be managed and maintained to give good services to the people,’ the officer said.
One of the main priorities of the department is to ensure social distancing inside the bus once the service resumes, Lotha said.
For buses with 42 seats, the seating capacity may have to be reduced to 20 passengers or 50% seats. If the department has to really continue with the service at 50%, it is going to face loses in revenue as the return will be very less, he said.
The secretary informed that a proposal has been received from the general manager, Transport department, to enhance the fare ‘during the exercise of 50% seats’. The proposal has already been moved for the approval of the state government, he added.
Once the government approves, the rates will be fixed accordingly in the district where NST buses are plying, Lotha said.
He assured that the department will approach the government for approval of any such enhanced rates. If need be, the department will issue directives whether to abide by the same old rates or the revised one, he added.
Further, he stated that standard operating procedures and all safety protocols issued by the department of Health and Family Welfare will be strictly followed, once the busses hit the roads.
As for private transporters and operators, they have come up with their own revised fare. Some of the operators have sought necessary approval of the enhanced rates from the regional transport authority with deputy commissioners as its chairman.
However, some might have revised the fare without seeking approval from the authority, he said. On some occasions, terming it as a loss, the operators may have come up with their own revised fares, which may not necessarily be approved by the authority. In this matter, the department will have to come up with certain actions where the rates need to be approved legally, he informed.
As for the revenue generation from the NST bus services during this pandemic, ‘the result is nil’, he informed.
From the day the lockdown started till date, ‘we have not earned even one rupee’, he informed.
When asked about the measures taken to monitor exorbitant taxi fares, the official said that the department is indirectly involved in checking of fares. It is monitored by the RTA and district administration concerned, he added.