Punjab govt suspends public transport in 15 districts due to rising COVID-19 cases

LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced a suspension of public transport on motorways in 15 districts as COVID-19 cases increase.

The restrictions on public transport were announced on the recommendation of the NationalCommand and Operation Centre (NCOC).

As per NCOC recommendations, buses will no longer be allowed to travel on the motorways, a spokesman for the Motorway Police said.

Earlier on September 3, the Department of Health in Punjab had announced the closure of public transport on weekends and the implementation of smart lockdowns in high disease prevalent cities.

Smart lockdowns were imposed in 15 districts within the province. The restrictions are expected to remain in force till September 12.

Due to the smart lockdown, transport from the 15 districts to Lahore has been suspended, causing severe inconvenience to passengers, Geo News reported Sunday.

Cities included in the smart lockdown are:

• Lahore
• Rawalpindi
• Faisalabad
• Multan
• Khanewal
• Mianwali
• Sargodha
• Khushab
• Bahawalpur
• Gujranwala
• Rahim Yar Khan

Other restrictions imposed in these areas include:

• Trade and business activities to remain suspended on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Essential services such as pharmacies are exempt from the restricted timings and will function 24 hours a day for the entire week.
• A complete ban on indoor dining; outdoor dining allowed till 10pm.
• A complete ban on indoor weddings or functions, with an exception of outdoor wedding functions, with a maximum capacity of 300 guests.
• Public and private offices will be allowed to function normally, however, with only 50% attendance.
• The railways shall continue to operate with a maximum occupancy of 70%.

Read More: Punjab Tightens COVID-19 curbs

The Punjab government had also announced that all services and activities allowed to operate under the new notification will be obligated to strictly implement COVID-19 safety guidelines.