Intra-State Bus, Train Services To Resume In Odisha From Tomorrow, Cabs & Autos Can Ferry Passengers

Bhubaneswar: Intra-state bus services in Odisha will resume from Monday (May 25). These will be allowed to operate up to sitting capacity of the vehicle, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena informed on Sunday.

The services were suspended in late March amid nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreak.

The government has also decided to allow intra-state movement of two wheelers, private vehicles, official vehicles, taxis (including cabs by aggregators like Ola, Uber), four wheelers and auto rickshaws (up to 2 passengers apart from the driver), he said.

Jena also informed about the go ahead to intra-state train services from May 25 by following the SOPs of Ministry of Home Affairs and Indian Railways.

“Public transport, private vehicles and taxis (including cabs by aggregators like Ola, Uber etc.) will be allowed to ferry passengers to and from airports, railway stations and bus terminals/stands/stops,” he said.

It is mandatory for all passengers travelling by any of these mode of transport to wear face masks, he said, adding that persons with visible symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to travel.

“In view of resumption of domestic flight services from tomorrow from Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda, we appeal people to report if someone from outside arrives in their respective areas,” the SRC added.

He further said that 12 Special Shramik trains left for Odisha from Telangana on Saturday. “However, no information was shared by the concerned state. We are expecting 20,000 migrants to arrive at different places in state. Uninformed arrival may create problems in COVID-19 management,” he pointed out.