The Chandigarh administration has decided to resume inter-state bus service from September 16. The administration had suspended the interstate bus operation on March 23 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) had briefly resumed the inter-state bus services to neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab from June 10, but those were suspended immediately after a few days over a sudden increase in the coronavirus cases.
The HVAC / AC buses will be allowed to operate with Covid-19 guidelines issued by the government. The suspension of the service due to the pandemic was causing problems for commuters.
Some of the Key Points:
Only 50 percent of the passengers will sit in the bus. The passengers have to take care of physical distancing. Apart from this, passengers will be able to board and disembark buses from ISBT-17 and ISBT-43 only. The bus will not stop anywhere in the Chandigarh area.
Online booking of Tickets or inside the bus, not over the counter
ISBT-17 and 43 will not get tickets at any counter. Only online booking or inside the bus tickets will be available. The passenger in the bus will be seated leaving one seat empty. Also, no one will be allowed to sit in the bus without a mask. The bus would be sanitized every time before the trip. It will be mandatory to have the Arogya Setu app in every passenger's phone.
“We are planning to resume bus service first only on main interstate routes. These are yet to be finalised,” said Uma Shankar Gupta, director, transport. “While planning the roll out, we will have to incorporate lockdown measures adopted in different states. For instance, night restrictions on movement in Punjab will determine timings of buses going to the state.” Chandigarh Interstate bus services Buses from other states will also get approval to enter Chandigarh from the 16th.
Mandi to be shifted back to Sector 26
The mandi was shifted to the ISBT after the Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, was declared a containment zone. For restarting the bus service from ISBT, Sector 17, the administration has directed the market committee to shift the vegetable and fruit market back to the Sector 26.