The government of Tamil Nadu, on Saturday, permitted the operation of interstate buses between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry without the need for an e-pass or e-registration, with immediate effect. The bus services were suspended earlier this year due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

As per a government order issued by the state government on Saturday, the Chief Minister of Puducherry had requested the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to resume bus services between the two states, due to Tamil Nadu’s ‘unique geographical connection with Puducherry state’. The Puducherry Chief Minister had also reportedly written that there are eight medical colleges in Puducherry, which patients from Puducherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu districts are dependent on. “Patients from Tamil Nadu will get more benefit if the public transportation is allowed,” he wrote. He also pointed out that many farmers, small traders, industrial workers and even people who want to shop for things are finding it difficult without the bus services.

The order also mentioned that bus services as public transport were functional in Tamil Nadu from September 7 and within Chennai (services of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation) from September 1. It also said that apart from inter-district buses, inter-state and intra-state train services also resumed in September; only inter-state bus services are yet to begin.

Tamil Nadu, as of Friday, has 23,532 patients currently being treated at their houses and hospitals for COVID-19. 3,964 patients were discharged after recovering from COVID-19 on Friday and 38 persons died of the disease across Tamil Nadu on the day. Chennai reported 723 new cases on Friday, taking its number of active cases to 7,254. Coimbatore district reported 228 new COVID-19 cases, while Chengalpattu district reported 158 new cases of the disease. Erode (115 new cases), Salem (114 new cases), Thiruvallur (149 new cases) and Tiruppur (145 new cases) recorded three-digit numbers when it came to fresh cases.