More steps for partial lockdown, full safety

More buses, changed seating arrangement to ensure space between commuters, only 50% occupancy, only seated travellers and keeping shops open in a phased manner —

More buses, changed seating arrangement to ensure space between commuters, only 50% occupancy, only seated travellers and keeping shops open in a phased manner — the Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced some more measures to ensure partial lockdown which would reduce the crowd in public transport and check the spread of the coronavirus.

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The decisions were taken in a meeting held by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at his official residence, Varsha, on Wednesday evening.

The state government has decided to work with 50% staff daily on rotation, except for employees associated with emergency services, till March 31. The total strength of the state government employees across Maharashtra is 15.57 lakh.

The government also directed local administration not to allow all shops to remain open through the day, asking them to stay open in phases. “They have been directed to allow them to stay open either on alternate days or at different times,” said a senior official present at the meeting. To reduce the crowd in public transport, the state has asked private establishments to use 50% workforce on each day.

With around 35 lakh daily commuters, BEST is the second biggest mode of public transport in Mumbai after railways, which carry nearly 80 lakh passengers. “The chief minister has directed all transport authorities such as railways, BEST, Metro, State Transport and even private buses to carry only 50% passengers. BEST management was asked not to allow commuters more than the capacity, which would force them to stand, as one of the preventive measures,” said a senior official present in the meeting.

MSRTC has also decided to change the seating arrangement, besides stopping more no. of passengers, which forces some to stand through the travel. According to MSRTC, they are also going to allow passengers to sit on alternate seat and a single passenger restricted to per seat to maintain distance between the passengers.

For cities, the chief minister asked to increase the number of buses. In Mumbai, he has asked to press more buses in to services and use schools buses for public services wherever possible, he said. “We have decided to operate more buses on the routes having more passengers. We will now divert the buses from less crowded routes,” said the official. It comes a day after the cabinet discussed a shutdown in Mumbai, include stopping local trains.

Thackeray on Tuesday said they will have to take the decision if crowd in the public transport will not reduce. The CM also directed the state administration to quarantine all those who have been stamped.

(With inputs from Sagar Pillai and Shrinivas Deshpande)