The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) said Indians returning from other countries to Delhi will be facilitated with travel from Indira Gandhi International Airport to Noida and Ghaziabad during the lockdown.
However, taxi fares will be high as Rs 10,000 for a ride to any destination within 250 km radius from the airport, Hindustan Times reported on Thursday.
The UPSRTC Managing Director Raj Shekhar issued a letter on May 9 to corporation’s regional managers in Noida and Ghaziabad. In the letter he said that passengers cleared by the Delhi government who have no symptoms of COVID-19 are allowed to use bus and taxi services at the airport.
“Each additional kilometre would cost Rs 40,” the letter said. “Booking an SUV would cost Rs 12,000 for [the] first 250km and Rs 50 for each additional kilometre. Besides the driver, only two persons can sit in the taxi.”
Meanwhile, air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses would charge Rs 1,320 and Rs 1,000 respectively for a single seat in a 100 km radius.
The charges would be double for distance beyond 100 km and the buses will allow a maximum of 26 persons to maintain physical distancing among the passengers.
AK Singh, the corporation’s regional manager for Ghaziabad, in a conversation with the newspaper, said: “We have received the order from the headquarters to ferry returnees in buses and taxis.”
“They will be transported as per the directions of the Delhi government and the Ghaziabad administration.”
However, with such high fares, they were bound to face criticism. KK Jain, general secretary of the Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Associations, said: "We used to commute from Noida to the Delhi airport for Rs 800 before the lockdown."
“A fare of Rs 10,000 for a single trip to Noida or Ghaziabad is too much.”
