T’PURAM/KOCHI: The state government has allowed private buses to operate services from Friday on alternate days on an odd-even basis. There will be no service during weekends. Buses with odd numbers will ply on Friday. Next week, those having even numbers will ply on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Bus operators have been asked to adhere to Covid protocol.
Transport Minister Antony Raju said the odd-even system was introduced as all private buses could not be allowed to ply everyday because of the prevailing Covid situation.Kerala Private Bus Operators’ Federation president M B Sathyan said the odd-even system was not feasible.“On some routes, only one or two buses are running services. What if both have odd numbers?” asked Sathyan.
He said the government should not think that all buses would hit the roads on Friday.“Fuel prices have gone up and restrictions on the number of passengers are in place, so it is difficult for bus owners to start services from Friday. One owner told me that a day’s service involving 160km fetched him only Rs 2,400 while the fuel charges alone cost him `3,600,” said Sathyan.“Most bus owners are waiting for more relaxations and fuel prices to come down to relaunch services,” he added.