The private bus operators of the city will not roll out their vehicle without proper infrastructure and financial assistance from the central or state governments amid the lockdown and the threats of corona virus, bus union leaders said today.

The reaction comes following statement from the Union Transport and Highways minister, Nitin Gadkari yesterday, indicated that the central government might consider re-starting of public transport soon with some restrictions.

The transport operators, however, are contesting the idea saying that the decision might aggravate the threat of the virus and bring further losses to them, if implemented without providing proper infrastructure and financial assistance to them.

“In the present scenario when the number of corona virus infestation is increasing with every passing day, how will it be determined that no passenger getting into the bus is Covid-positive?” asked Tapan Banerjee, general secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, the largest private bus union of the state having around 42,000 bus operators as members.

“Without screening mechanism including a thermal gun how will it be possible to check if none of the passengers are getting into the bus without symptoms of the virus. If the passengers are ferried without any checks, it will not only pose threats to the conductors and drivers, but also other people of the state at large. Therefore, only social distancing norms will not be sufficient in such critical situations. Carrying restricted numbers of passengers will bring us further losses. The governments need to provide us with guidelines based on scientific approach. Without logic based guidelines and financial assistance, it will be impossible for our members to trundle the buses.” he added.

The bus unions including Joint Council of Bus Syndicate and Inter and Intra Region Bus Association and Bus Mini Bus Coordination Committee have written several letters to the state and central government seeking financial assistance to be able to cope up with the losses incurred during month-long closure.