The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Kohima had a meeting on 4 September, 2020 at the Office Chamber of Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kohima.
At the outset, ADC, Lithrongla T. Rutsa, welcomed the members and further highlighted the latest SOP for City bus and Taxis operation in Kohima town. The meeting decided the following SOPs for city bus and taxi operation, where seating arrangement in bus should be in zigzag manner leaving alternate vacant seats to maintain social distancing, and no standing passengers will be allowed. Every bus should be sanitized/ fumigated at the end of each day. Every driver and conductor should wear a face mask and also ensure that no passenger is allowed in the bus without a face mask. Hand sanitizer should be made available in the bus for passengers while boarding. Passengers are also asked to carry necessary fare to maintain minimum contact.
Further, in view of the current pandemic bus fare per passenger is fixed at Rs.20/- (rupees twenty) only till 30th September 2020 and will be reviewed with further relaxations in the SOP. Every bus owner should make sure that a transparent barrier between the driver's cabin and passenger area is made to avoid contact. Driver and conductor should remain inside their vehicle and avoid group gathering or assembly at the work place. With no scope to maintain social distancing, Two-wheeler Taxi services will remain suspended till further notice. In a taxi only 3 (three) passengers are allowed 1 (one) beside driver and 2 (two) at the backseat and taxi fares will remain at Rs. 25/- (rupees twenty five) only per passenger and violators will be penalized as per relevant MV Act. Checking will be carried out from time to time by the District Administration, Police and M.V. Department. The new SOP for city bus and taxi services will come into effect from Monday the 7th of September, 2020.
NPS, Dy. SP(Traffic), Manom Wallim; EAC, Kohima, Changsang Soted; RTO, Kohima S.Y. Sanglee Chang and representatives from CBOUK also attended the meeting.
(Tovikali, IA)