Chennai, Sep 2 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday announced that intra-state public and private bus and train services would be allowed to operate from September seven.
In a statement here, he said based on the requests received from various quarters, public and private bus services between the districts and within the State would be allowed to operate by following the Standard Operating Procedure put in place by the government, to prevent spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
He also announced resumption of passenger train services within the state from September seven. However, there was no mention of resumption of suburban EMU train and MRTS services, which was also one of the most preferred mode of transport for commuters after the public bus transport system.
The bus and train services were suspended in March in view of the COVID-19 induced lockdown. Though intra-district bus services were allowed to operate for a while, it was subsequently withdrawn due to spike in the number of corona positive cases.
After a gap of five months, as part of Unlock 4.0 measures, bus services resumed in Tamil Nadu, including in Chennai city yesterday, after Mr Palaniswami announced a slew of relaxations, while extending the lockdown by one more month till September 30.
Toeing the line taken by the Centre, he had also announced that Chennai Metro Rail services would be resumed from September seven, while a decision on operating inter-state train services from September 15, would be taken depending on the prevailing situation.
Among the relaxations announced by the state government were cancellation of e-pass system to travel from district to the other, opening of all places of worships, hotels, parks and gyms and shopping malls, cancellation of total and complete lockdown on Sundays and allowing visit of tourists to hilly resorts of Kodaikanal, Ooty and Yercaud with prior permission from the respective district collectors.
