Kathmandu, June 17
Though the government has relaxed lockdown restrictions since last week, the public transport vehicles have not been allowed yet. Concerned government officials have said they are not certain when the public transport operation will resume.
Gogan Bahadur Hamal, the chief of the Department of Transport Management, says it is not the department, but the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre and the Council of Ministers that decide when to reopen the sector.
However, he maintains the department has expedited preparations on how the vehicles can be operated in compliance with safety measures whenever the government decides. The department has prepared a safety guideline for public transport operators and users considering the risk of Covid-19 infection.
Meanwhile, Narayan Prasad Bidari, a secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, says public transport could increase the risk of infection. Arguing that maintaining distance and avoiding other risks would be difficult in public transport vehicles, he claims reopening the sector immediately is not possible.
“Evaluating the risks, we will open public transportation at an appropriate time,” Bidari informs, “But, we cannot stipulate a specific date as the infection rate has not decreased.”
The travel fare is likely to increase after the resumption as the transport operators say they might need to accommodate fewer persons in a vehicle at a time so as to maintain distance.
