Interstate bus services in Delhi may resume next week, ISBTS to reopen

The transport department had sought a clarification from DDMA on whether buses from other states could arrive at ISBTS. DDMA has now clarified that there is no restriction by the Centre or the Delhi government

NEWDELHI: After nearly three-anda-half months, interstate bus services are set to resume in Delhi next week, senior government officials said Saturday.

The resumption of these services would mean that all three interstate bus terminals (ISBTS) in Delhi—anand Vihar, Kashmere Gate, and Sarai Kale Khan—would reopen.

Once operational, fewer passengers than usual may board buses; no passenger will be allowed to stand. At the ISBTS, provisions are being made for the disinfection of buses after each trip, as well as the screening of passengers. The departures and arrivals of buses will also be staggered to avoid crowding, government officials said.

In Delhi, interstate bus services were suspended on March 21. But before the onset of the pandemic, the three ISBTS would witness a combined footfall of over 250,000 every day. At least 3,467 buses from states such as Uttar

A GOVT OFFICIAL SAID

Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Chandigarh would ply through these ISBTS every day.

On Saturday, a senior official from the transport department said the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) gave the go-ahead to resume interstate buses to and from the national Capital. “The transport department had sought a clarification from DDMA on whether buses from other states could arrive at ISBTS. DDMA has now clarified that there is no restriction by the Centre or the Delhi government on the movement of interstate buses and that such services can be resumed,” the official said.

Under the Unlock 2.0 guidelines issued by the Central government on June 30, passengers can travel across state borders without travel passes. Under the Unlock 1.0 rules, interstate travel was allowed (since June 8), but it was subject to both states agreeing to the decision and passengers carrying travel passes. None of these requirements applies any longer. In Delhi, however, no interstate bus service has resumed until now.

Transport officials said the services are likely to resume from Monday or Tuesday, but they expressed concerns about neighbouring states. “So far, Rajasthan has shown an interest in resuming interstate services with 70 buses initially. More states have to come forward for us to operate the ISBTS fully. Some states are apprehensive about resuming services as of now because of the high number of Covid-19 cases in the national Capital,” the transport official said.

Dheeraj Sahu, Uttar Pradesh’s transport commissioner and managing director of UPSRTC, said the state is not plying any buses outside UP as a precautionary measure. Before the pandemic struck, UP used to operate over 1,500 buses to and from Delhi’s ISBTS every day—the highest among all states.

“The UP government will decide when our interstate bus service will resume,” Sahu said.

Punjab state transport commissioner Dr Amarpal Singh said the state has resumed interstate transport services. “As far as we know, the Delhi government’s interstate bus services are shut. We will consider restarting our bus services to and from Delhi once we hear from them,” he said.

Government reports show the transport department is losing over ₹5 crore per month because the three ISBTS are shut.