A high-level meeting that assessed the impact of the third wave of COVID-19 on the State's transport sector has ruled out the need to cut down services, Minister for Transport Antony Raju said on Wednesday. However, the Minister that the State-level COVID-19 review meeting scheduled for Thursday will have the final say.
Most of the employees in the transport sector have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Mr. Raju said, briefing the media on the outcome of the meeting.
''The current assessment is that there is no need to trim services. It will be presented at the COVID-19 review meet and fresh arrangements will be subject to the decision of the committee,'' he said.
The Minister also termed baseless reports which claimed that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had curtailed services on Tuesday after large numbers of the staff tested positive. The KSRTC, in a phased manner, plans to press more more buses into service to reduce overcrowding, he added.
KSRTC employees will be administered the booster doses on a priority basis. Conductors will receive the jab in the first phase and drivers and ministerial staff in the subsequent phases, he said.
Convened by Mr. Raju, Wednesday's meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Transport Commissioner, the director of the State Water Transport Department and senior hands of the KSRTC and the Motor Vehicle department (MVD).
The Minister accused vested interests of trying to create a scare by spreading untruths about the KSRTC. According to him, less than 650 of the 28,000-strong KSRTC employees, around 2.71%, are down with COVID-19. Of the 3,500 buses which, on an average, carry out daily services, 3,437 plied on Tuesday.
''Of the 8,000 employees in the KSRTC's north zone, only 200 have tested positive, and 140 of the 9,024-strong central zone. In the south, less than 200 of the 10,467 staff have tested positive. It should be noted that KSRTC employees also have been deployed on Sabarimala duty where they come into contact with a large number of pilgrims, including those from other States,'' he said.
Only 20 cases have been reported in the 1,150-strong State Water Transport Department where 57 of the 59 boats plied a total of 736 trips on Tuesday. Less than 25 of the 2,648 staff of the MVD are down with the infection, he said.
Meanwhile, the department has sought an explanation from the Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Ernakulam, for calling off driving tests citing the pandemic. Instructions were issued for restarting the tests from Wednesday, the Minister said, adding that none of the RTOs should be kept closed.
''If there is a shortage of staff anywhere, staff will be deployed from other offices in the same zone,'' said Mr. Raju.
