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By:
Jehona Gjinovci
- November 22, 2021 21:11
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"Urban Traffic" workers are abusing the established anti-COVID-19 measures, not stopping at stations to pick up passengers, on the grounds that they have no empty seats.
With the implementation of these measures by the Government of Kosovo, the "Urban Traffic" buses are allowed to use only 50 percent of the seats, which can only take 17 passengers inside.
In a video shot by phone by the TIME team, it can be seen that the "line 4" bus does not stop at the "white flats" station at all, while there are still empty seats, with only 13 passengers inside.
One stop further, the bus stops where 3 people get off, while 4 others get on. Citizens are being mistreated as this public enterprise is paid by the Municipality of Pristina for the kilometers it travels and does not depend on passenger tickets.
The same happens at the station near the "hospital area" and the one near the "Ulpiana" market.
Although there is space inside, the bus stops to drop off passengers at the edge of the station so that other citizens cannot get inside.
Even "line 1" of public transport is doing this.
Vjollca Mernica, who comes from Fushë-Kosova every day, says that she herself is a witness to this.
According to her, buses are stopping outside the station to drop off passengers without picking up others.
Because at the "Te plepat" station it often happens that her bus is not stopped, she walks to another station in the hope that she might get lucky there.
Citizens say that this is causing them to be late for work.
The director of "Urban Traffic", Mentor Isufi, admits that this is happening, on the grounds that the conductors are trying to avoid confrontation with the citizens, as they are not understanding when they are not allowed to enter.
He says that the workers of these lines are to be praised.
While he adds that all citizens' complaints on this issue will be examined, and measures will be taken based on the regulation.
The Municipality of Pristina has remained silent, despite the questions KOHA sent days ago.
The Ministry of Health has not returned any answer to KOHA if these measures are expected to change, or who has priority for getting on the bus when there are many passengers.
The same measures apply to buses of private lines, but they do not respect them.