KATHMANDU: The government has instructed all 753 local levels to form committees to monitor whether the public transport has complied with the government health directives.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the ‘Public Transport Operation Guideline, 2077’ directive during the period of COVID-19 pandemic.
The ban on long-distance public transport was lifted from September 20 after the government issued the directives.
The government has instructed local levels to tighten public transport as they have not complied with the rules set out in the directives, and the number of corona infections has risen sharply across the country.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had written a letter to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration requesting to monitor after public complaints of non-compliance with the directives.
A circular has been issued by the Government of Nepal (Secretary level) to make the monitoring work systematic and facilitate the operation by forming a monitoring committee on whether the drivers and co-drivers including passengers have followed the directives strictly.
According to the directives, public transport has to be disinfected after each consignment. Once the passenger has used the vehicle, the seat has to be cleaned and sanitized.
Public transport needs to determine the maximum number of passengers according to its capacity and information related to it should be posted on the door of the vehicle.
In this way, passengers will have to be kept in the designated seat by maintaining social distance. Public transport has to have only one person in each of the two seats on either side.
“Operate vehicles according to a pre-determined schedule, measure their body temperature at the beginning of each consignment (trip) or at least twice a day, and arrange for at least two thermals for each vehicle to measure the temperature,” the directive reads.
According to the directive, the co-driver or other employee of the transport service should use sanitizer and clean the passenger seats accordingly. Passengers also need to compulsorily use sanitizer before entering the bus.
Public transport has been asked to launch a ‘mobile based scan and pay’ or ‘contactless card’ system for all possible fare payments. The guideline also mentions the provision of online and electronic payments.
“Arrangements should be made for the passengers to keep the same amount of fare in the fare collection box to avoid any physical contact or social distance while collecting fares, or for passengers to buy valid tickets once or more times or for a period of time from the ticket counter for payment of fares,” according to the directives.
Transport operators will have to make a list of medium and long-distance passengers and keep one copy to themselves and submit the other to the local administration.
Drivers and co-drivers must wear masks, visors and gloves when operating public transport.
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