Bhubaneswar: After the State Government lifts bus restrictions across the country, up from 20 previous districts, private bus operators start running the bus in the 10-district left from Monday.
However, only 10% of personal buses were seen on the road on the first day.
Intra-state public transportation continued from Monday in Nayagarh, Khurda (including Bhubaneswar), Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balalasore and Mayurbhanj.
Bus services to the city of Puri will remain suspended until midnight July 25 because of the ongoing Rath Yatra Festival.
Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) will run the bus in these districts from Tuesday.
The country’s biggest bus stand in Baramunda in Bhubaneswar will see around 800 buses per day during pre-covid time.
On Monday, around 80.
“I have around 15 buses, but only three plying on the first day.
Even in three buses we got very few passengers,” said Surendra Mohanty, the bus owner.
Debendra Kumar Sahoo, Secretary General of all the Association of Odisha Bus Owners, said that many buses are outside the road because they need maintenance after acting because of the restrictions on Covid-19 imposed by the government since May 5.
“The bus owner is waiting for the driver, conductor, and helpers for Back.
So, we will take at least one week to run most of the bus, “said Sahoo.
He added that they had around 14,000 buses throughout the state.
“About 40% of the bus ran in 20 districts with a low Covid case.
Because of Covid’s fear, many people don’t come out.
That’s why the bus becomes a bad response.
Slowly it will take steps,” said Sahoo.
It was seen that some buses in Badambadi in Cuttack did not implement Covid guidelines in letters and spirits.