COVID-19 pinches hard inter-State transporters
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 22 2020: Owners of passenger vehicles plying on National highways have started selling off their vehicles to venture into new businesses due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, Hanjabam Tarunkumar, president of All Manipur Inter-State Bus and Allied Transport Association, said the association has 21 ticket counter for buses and wingers (vans) at North AOC, which once used to be a hustling and bustling transit point is now deserted with very few people travelling by buses and wingers due to fear of COVID-19.This has affected the lives of vehicle owners, drivers and handymen gravely.

Tarunkumar added that earlier the counters used to send 5-10 buses daily in full capacity of 40 passengers.

This service had two benefits.

First, it was convenient for passengers commuting between different States and Manipur and second, it also provided a livelihood to the vehicle owners, drivers and handymen.

During the first phase of lockdown imposed to curb COVID-19, the association used to ferry stranded people from other States at the request of the Government but now with no more people to ferry, this also has stopped adding to the woes of the association.

Under the SOP provided by the Government, the maximum capacity of buses has been reduced from 40 to 10-15 and that of wingers from 15 to 7-8, however the number of travellers seldom reached this numbers.

Tarunkumar also said that the bus fare for Imphal-Guwahati is Rs 1000, Rs 1100 for Imphal-Shillong, Rs 850 for Imphal-Nagaon, and Rs 700 and Rs 500 for Imphal to Dimapur and Kohima respectively.

For wingers, it is Rs 800 for Imphal-Dimapur and Rs 700 for Imphal-Kohima.

The association used to operate a total of 80 buses and 30 wingers but the numbers have dwindled to just about 15 buses and 10 wingers and most of the owners have sold off their vehicles to look for alternative livelihoods.

Months without a proper income source has made the vehicle owners take this drastic step to ensure that their families and dependents don't starve in this trying time.

He also added that Manipur police, Assam police and Nagaland police are keeping a strict vigil on the vehicles plying on the highways to check if the SOPs are followed or not.

Tarunkumar further appealed to the Govt to make some sort of arrangements to ease the sufferings of the vehicle owners, drivers and handymen.

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