ONLY BUSES purchased in or after2015shouldbeallowedtoenter Delhi at the

Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs), keeping in mind the “alarming situation of

pollutioninthecapital,theDelhi Transport Infrastructure Development
Corporation (DTIDC)has suggested. Airqualityhasdipped significantly in the
city over the past two weeks, and if buses are allowed to enter the city, it might
makemattersworse,officialsfeel. “Itis advised thatthe interstate buses entering
ISBTs should not be older than 2015 Model in the
wakeofalarmingsituationofpollutioninDelhi.DTIDCmay
graduallyreducetheageofbusesand ultimatelyallowtheentryofonly CNG, Electric
and BS-VI buses at thethreeISBTs.Therefore,theoperators are advised to
startmaking preparation in this direction well in time,” the draft standard
operatingprocedure says. Thedraftwill be discussed in a meeting on Monday on
the issueof allowingbusesfromother states toenterDelhi andply regularly, and it
is expected that clearancewillbegiventhisweek. Thedraftsaysthatpeoplewill be
allowed in only after thermal screening and “in case of any
doubtaboutillnessofanyasymptomaticpassenger,he/shemaybe asked to present
himself for rapid/RT-PCRtestatcampssetup atthreeISBTs.” Visitors and those
who have not bought ticketswill notbe allowed to wander around in the
premises. Only half the number of buses, as compared to earlier, will be allowed
till midNovember.Thelimitswillhaveto beimposed at thestate of origin. No
passenger will be allowed to standandithastobeensuredthat social distancing
norms have to befollowed, saidthedraft. Before the lockdown, ISBT at
Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan
andAnandViharsaw3,500interstatebustripsand2,000localbus trips on a daily
basis. Interstate bus services were suspended whenthenation-widelockdown was
imposed inMarch. According to the draft plan, thebusconductoranddriverwill
havetoproduceacertificateprovingtheyweresanitised,attheentry point of the
ISBT. “The interstate buses shall be sanitised...at
thepointoforigin...BusesatISBTs shallbesanitisedbyDTIDCbefore departure
from ISBTs,” the draft said.