Nearly 25,000 permitted for inter-district travel of day 1 in Assam
Guwahati/UNI: More than 12,000 people were ferried between different districts of Assam today by government-run buses while an almost equal number used their own vehicles to travel as three-day conditional inter-district movement commenced in the state today.
People travelling through own vehicles had procured prior permission from the district from which they are moving, while for people without own means at disposal, the government had arranged free-of-cost transportation through Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC).
“Nearly 5000 people who were stuck in Guwahati due to the lockdown have been sent by 320 buses to their respective places,” Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said here.
He stressed on the need to maintain social distancing during the three days when state government has allowed inter-district movement of people.
Sonowal also informed that the state government has taken steps for bringing back a total of 360 people, out of which 320 were students from Kota, Rajasthan, by bus and
arrangements for their quarantine have been made.
State Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, who oversaw the temporary resumption of travel, said to ensure social distancing, each bus was carrying 50% passengers out of its capacity.
Altogether 12,600 were provided ASTC bus services for movement on the first day, while over 12,000 people have been issued passes for traveling through own vehicles.
Those travelling through ASTC buses have been sent tickets through SMS and people only with valid SMS tickets would be allowed to travel.
Designated boarding and disembarking points have been notified and all social distancing norms and personal hygiene measures are being maintained for the inter-district movement.
While more than 30,000 people have been permitted for travelling through own vehicles, and 41,000 people will avail ASTC bus service, which is being provided free-of-cost.
While patients and their attendants have been granted two-way permission for visiting hospitals, with the condition that the patient is travelling in the vehicle, people stranded in different districts, including students and migrant workers, will also be allowed to travel after due permission through their own vehicles or ASTC
buses.
If the lockdown is extended after May 3, the state government is likely to allow similar intra-state movement at later stage also.
(Photo: UNI)
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