SAMBALPUR: The coronavirus scare has kept people away from public transport in Sambalpur. Both the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) and private buses are witnessing a steep decline in number of passengers for fear of the virus.
District Transport Manager, Rajendra Pujari said the daily passengers in Government buses have decreased by 50 per cent (pc) despite intensive disinfection. Currently, 25 OSRTC buses are plying on 13 routes including Berhampur, Sunabeda, Mukhiguda and Daringibadi from Sambalpur and neighbouring Jharsuguda.
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“We are disinfecting the buses every day. The hi-tech and air-conditioned buses of OSRTC have a seating capacity of 40 each but they are receiving only 20 or less passengers now”, he said, adding that this will hit the OSRTC revenue.
Condition of private buses is no different. President of private bus owners association of Sambalpur, Subrat Panigrahi said passengers have come down by 30 per cent. He informed that the number of passengers is declining more on long route buses compared to buses plying on local routes.
Around 30 private buses ply on long routes including Bhubaneswar, Jeypore, Balasore, Bhadrak, Baripada, Malkangiri besides Raipur in Chhattisgarh from Sambalpur. At least 240 buses ply on the local routes, he informed.“We are also sanitising the buses and cleaning seats regularly,” he added.
RIDERSHIP DOWN
Daily passengers in Government buses have decreased by 50 per cent despite intensive disinfection drive
The number of passengers is declining more on long route private buses compared to buses plying on local routes
Private bus owners have also started sanitising buses and cleaning seats regularly for safety of passengers