Passenger bus services likely to resume soon

11 May 2020 – Shuttle buses plying to and from Chin State may continue at the end of next week after a halt in services owing to COVID-19 outbreak, a source from the Chin State government said.

State Minister Soe Htet said that the bus services would resume after the 15th of May but it would be in line with the instructions of the Union government on the COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

He said that it had not been decided yet as to when the bus services would re-start but the current directives given was up to 15 May, adding: “We will have to see what instructions the Union government gives after the 15th of May.”

As part of the State government’s attempts to contain COVID-19 outbreak in Chin State, all bus services in and out of the western region have been put to a halt since 8 April.

One of the bus companies in Hakha told the Chinland Guardian that they might start their services on 16 May.

There are 14 bus services based in Hakha, going to Mandalay, Yangon, Kalay and other parts of Chin State.

Meanwhile, some shuttle buses in Kalay and Mandalay have started trips to Yangon since 8 May but are allowed to carry the number of passengers by half.

Instructions that require a passenger who comes from a place where COVID-19 cases are confirmed to be kept in quarantine for 14 days have prevented people from travelling, according to the bus companies.

Bus-owner U Soe Win told the Chin World Media saying that the bus station was still closed in Kalay, adding: “We have to follow instructions given by the health department. We haven’t send any buses to Chin State yet.”

Currently, the State government allows only big trucks that carry rice and other commodities to enter Chin State where the first COVID-19 case in the country was found.

The National Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19 decided to extend the rules and directives from 30 April to 15 May.

As of now, the State government indicated that they were not sure about the new extension in the country yet.#