Metro buses to hit road again on July 6

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 3

The metro bus service being run in the city under the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) would resume its operation from July 6, said officials of the Punjab Bus Metro Society.

The bus service was suspended on March 21 on the directions of the state government to curb the spread of Covid-19. Preparations are under way to resume the service. The officials said all precautionary measures against Covid would be adopted, including sanitisation of buses with sodium hypochlorite solution on a daily basis. The BRTS authorities said seats would be covered with leather sheets to sanitise these properly.

Inderjit Singh Chawla, chief executive officer (CEO), BRTS, said: “We will follow all precautions recommended by the government, including the social distancing norms. We have to make some fresh air outlets in buses. The air conditioners would function but more fresh air outlets would also be opened. Wearing of a face mask would be compulsory for travellers.”

Meanwhile, drivers of metro buses have not received salaries since March. They have held several demonstrations over the issue.

“The drivers have been hired by private firms outsourced for operations. The government pays the firm on a kilometre basis. As the buses were off road, the drivers were not paid by the firm. We have discussed the issue with the government and decided to pay them the basic salary. The case has been sent for approval to the authorities and they would get the salaries soon,” said the CEO.