Sindh lifts ban on inter-district transport under strict SOPs

KARACHI: The Sindh government has lifted its ban on inter-city public transport across the province while the ban on inter-provincial public transport remains in place.

According to a notification issued by the Sindh Transport and Mass Transit Department today, the easing of the ban is conditional on the mandatory implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in all passenger buses.

“All passengers must maintain a distance of three feet from each other, while also using face masks and hand sanitisers while in the buses, coaches and vans, the notification read.

In addition, inter-city buses may only depart from terminals specified by the provincial authorities, where disinfectant gates have been installed and the body temperatures of drivers, conductors and passengers will be checked.

As per the SOPs, the number of passengers on vehicles was limited to partial capacity while transporters had also been instructed to keep sanitizers in vehicles.

Transporters must use bus terminals include the terminal on National Highway Link Road, Karachi Bus Terminal at Sohrab Goth and KDA Bus Terminal in Korangi.

Concerned authorities from the Sindh government will inspect the implementation of SOPs and other precautionary steps.

“SOPs violations would lead to legal action against the transporters and bus owners, which may include the suspension of bus services among other penalties, it warned.

Furthermore, buses were told only to pick and drop passengers at specific terminals, while buses, terminals and waiting areas were to be cleaned and disinfected.