APSRTC gears up to resume services in Vizag with new safety guidelines

The APSRTC officials have geared up to resume services with new rules in Vizag, once the government gives approval for the same. Changes are currently being made to ensure the physical distancing and safety of passengers. While the seating capacity on buses is being reduced to promote physical distancing, the officials are also promoting cashless transactions to prevent spreading coronavirus.

Ms. Sudha Bindu, Deputy Chief Traffic Manager, Visakhapatnam, in interaction with Yo! Vizag, revealed some key changes that passengers would witness going forward. “The RTC is redesigning 30% of the buses by removing seats to ensure adequate physical distance between passengers. Seating capacity has been reduced to carry only 50%-60% of passengers on these buses as compared to before. As per norms, every bus will be fumigated and sanitised before and after each trip. Further, passengers will have to purchase tickets from on-ground counters or online, as conductors might be unavailable on the trips. We request passengers to opt for cashless transactions and go digital with payments,” the officer said.

Talking about the safety measures being adopted by the APSRTC staff, Ms Bindu said, “We have made it compulsory for all staffers to download Arogya Setu mobile app. They have already been provided with protective masks. The bus depots are equipped with sanitisers. Further, we have encouraged passengers to do the same. Our request is to download the app and come prepared with protective masks. Permissions have been granted for shops in the bus depots to start selling masks and sanitisers, so that the passengers can purchase them before boarding the buses. We would also like to request passengers to follow queues while boarding buses instead of thronging to the doors. We have made clear indications as to where a passenger can wait before boarding buses.”

Currently, plans have been made to ply buses from Visakhapatnam to Narsipatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Vijayawada, and even Chennai once the government authorities give a go-ahead. Intra-city APSRTC buses to various sectors in Vizag will also be operated with the same guidelines in place.