COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (Coimbatore division) Managing Director Anu Abraham on Saturday dismissed social media reports that claimed that the corporation is planning to operate 50 percent of its buses. The official said the corporation received no such orders from the state government.
On Saturday, a message was circulated widely on social media platforms. It claimed that the TNSTC would operate 50 per cent of its buses with minimum seating capacity in the coming days to mitigate the contain the spread of COVID-19 cases. The message also elaborated on the seating arrangements in different types of buses running on different routes within the district.
"TNSTC has reduced total number of seats from the existing 57 to 39 now in a bus operated between Tirupur to Mettupalayam," read the message, adding that a similar arrangements have been made to buses on other routes.
"We have not received any communication from the state government on operation of buses, ticket fares and seating arrangement for the public transport. However, we are planning to operate buses only for the government staff, based on the order issued by the Collector Rajamani, as the offices would function with 50 per cent strength from May 18. We have received a communication only in this regard," he said.
The official also said that they have procured masks and sanitisers for the entire staff in all branches.
Likewise, the passengers would be allowed to enter the buses only if they are wearing masks. Though the official was unaware of the commencement of operation of buses, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has cleaned bus stands in Singanallur, Gandhipuram, Ukkadam and Mettupalayam that were temporarily converted into vegetable markets.