Covid-19: Madhya Pradesh Continues Ban on Passenger Buses to and fro Maharashtra till 11 August

In view of the menace of the possible third wave of Covid-19 because a little rise in the new cases of the pandemic has been reported in the state, the Madhya Pradesh government has continued the ban on the movement of passenger buses to and from Maharashtra till 11 August.

In this regard, the Transport Department on Wednesday released orders, stating the suspension of the passenger buses has been further extended till 11 August. The ban on the movement of interstate buses between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will be continued, the order also says.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday expressed concern over rising in the new cases of the deadly virus in the state while talking to the reporters in Gwalior and appealed to the people to follow the protocols and guidelines which were released by the government. Chouhan was on a tour to the Gwalior-Chambal region to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-affected villages.

The Department has taken this decision on the instructions of CM Chouhan and Transport Minister Govind Rajput.

“The state government is on alert mode to tackle the possible third wave of the pandemic, the decision of continuing the ban on the movement of passenger buses between MP and Maharashtra is one of the precautionary measures being taken to contain the spread of the deadly virus,” Additional Transport Commissioner Enforcement Arvind Saxena told The Sun Today. “The government has decided to continue the ban on the movement of passenger buses to and from Maharashtra till 11 August”, Saxena said.

Joint Commissioner (admin), and secretary of State Transport Authority, Anup Kumar Singh, issued the orders in this regard late night yesterday.

According to the previous order released by the transport department, the ban had already been in-forced on interstate bus services till 4 August between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The divisional deputy commissioners and the district officers of the transport department have been instructed to ensure the restriction on the movement of passenger buses between MP and MH in their respective jurisdictions, stated in the order.

The suspension of interstate and all India tourist permits of passenger buses between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra states has been extended once again.

The Transport Department has been playing a significant role in fighting against the pandemic since the outbreak hit the state. The department has also played a crucial role in delivering the Liquid Medical Oxygen at the hospitals where the Covid-19 patients were gasping for breaths during the treatment when the peak of the second wave of the pandemic.

The ban on the movement of passenger buses between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra has been continuing since 23 March. In view to contain the spread of the deadly virus, the state had already imposed the ban on the movement of passenger buses to and from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh but it was resumed on 16 June.