Hyderabad: Covid norms thrown to wind at rail, metro stations, bus stands

Hyderabad: With Covid-19 cases slowly coming under check, threat of a third wave continues to haunt the city. After resumption of all the economic activities , people seem to have learnt no lessons. Covid norms were blatantly violated at railway stations, metro stations and bus stands as no temperature is checked with social distancing going for a toss.

The Hans India team noticed railway stations that include Secunderabad Railway station and Kachiguda Railway station, almost all the metro stations and bus depots are not following Covid protocols. What is worse was that no Covid safety protocols seem to be in vogue in the public transport system. Though body temperature check scanners are being provided in metro and railway stations hardly any staff is bothered to direct the passengers for monitoring the same.

According to few passengers, in the Secunderabd railway station even in the platform ticket counters no social distancing is being maintained . In the buses conductors are not instructing passengers to maintain physical distancing and also some buses are not properly cleaned. Also inside the metro trains no social distancing is being maintained.

When contacted, the HMRL MD NVS Reddy said ,"We are following all Covid norms. For temperature check scanners have been provided and security personnel are directing every passenger for checking the temperature. We are making announcement about mask wearing and physical distancing in the trains just after next station announcement. Also functioning of scanners at every station is being verified daily."

On the condition of anonymity, a senior officer of SCR, said, "All the Covid norms are being followed at the station premises. As in the railways automatic thermal screening machine has been installed which is placed in the control room and screening is been done in the control room. Only thing is that the passengers coming from other States used to undergo temperature check, but that is discontinued now by the government''.

" Vehicles are being sanitised after every trip and at night before they are parked in the depots. As sanitisation has become the part of the maintenance and very depot is deployed with a motorised sanitisation machine. We have instructed the conductors to ensure that the passenger maintains social distancing," said a senior officer of TSRTC.

"Two days back I visited Secunderabad Railway station, as I was to travel to Odisha. I have seen that no Covid norm is being followed. No social distancing is maintained," said a passenger R Anil.

"We are forced to board packed buses. Also the buses are not cleaned properly. Many are boarding buses without wearing masks," said A Rohan, a regular commuter.