Violation Of Corona SOPs Goes Unchecked In Public Transport

Violation of corona SOPs goes unchecked in public transport

The violation of coronavirus related standard operating procedures (SOPs) in public transport were going unchecked in the provincial metropolis

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Apr, 2021 ) :The violation of coronavirus related standard operating procedures (SOPs) in public transport were going unchecked in the provincial metropolis.

Non-compliance of the SOPs including the use of face-masks, hand-sanitizers and social distancing was witnessed in the inter and intra-city transport. Transporters as well as commuters were also found exhibiting irresponsible behaviour in implementing the devised SOPs during the public transport use.

According to a survey conducted by APP, no facility of temperature-checking guns, sanitizers was available at local bus stands in the city and commuters were also not ensured by the bus stand management to wear face-mask.

In most of the public transport vehicles, observance of social distancing for the passengers was rare, however, if it was followed anywhere, extra fare was being charged from passengers for sparing seats.

Asad Ahmed, an employee of a private security company, who uses public transport to reach his office, said: "No one is observing social distancing in the local transport and transporters are just concerned about making money by accommodating a large number of passengers.

"He said that sanitizer was not available in local transport, adding that there was a need to educate transporters and conductors about the seriousness of the pandemic.

However, it was observed that only big transport companies like Daewoo, Faisal Movers, Bilal Travels, etc.

, had made arrangements for implementation of COVID-19 SOPs at their terminals as well as in their buses.

When contacted, Secretary Provincial Transport Authority, Naeem Bukhari urged citizens and transporters to cooperate with the administration in the wake of rising number of COVID-19 cases and SOPs implementation.

Talking to APP, he said that fines were being imposed on transporters besides impounding vehicles in case of non-compliance of orders. He added that surprise visits were also being conducted by the teams to check the implementation of SOPs by transporters and a daily report about the compliance was being sent to the authorities concerned regularly.

"Surveillance teams have been conducting visits to bus terminals and van stands to inspect and ensure implementation of SOPs." He asserted that the department was taking all-out measures to ensure implementation on SOPs devised by the government. It may be mentioned that the Punjab government had already suspended its services of Orange Line Metro Train, Metro bus and Speedo bus in Lahore and eight big cities of the province running under the MassTransit Authority in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

The provincial government had however allowed all private transport to run with strict observance of SOPs.