Jharkhand buses seat one person in two seats, charge double fare

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], September 3 : Jharkhand buses are seating one passenger in two seats in order to maintain social distancing and charging double the fare.
Vir Bahadur Singh, a travel agent, said that passengers were not being charged double for a single-seat, but were being charged for two seats in order to maintain social distancing amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is a misunderstanding that we are charging double for one seat. The government has said that social distancing has to be maintained because of the pandemic so we are seating one passenger in a double seat. They are being charged for both the seats rather than double for one seat. Moreover, we still have to pay for maintenance and upkeep of the vehicles even if there are just three or four passengers. This is why we are charging this much," Singh told ANI.
Although customers do not approve of the increase in the bus fare, many say that they understand the plight of the bus drivers and travel agents.
"Before the lockdown, if the bus fare was Rs 250, now they are charging us Rs 500. It is financially burdensome for us but what choice do we have? Actually, it is good that a gap of one seat is being maintained. Bus drivers have also taken a hit due to the lockdown and need to start their business," MP Singh, a passenger said.