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From GBA to the City by train and bus: fear of contagion, lack of controls and social distancing at ease

2020-05-28T23:07:50.076Z


According to the passengers, at the stations and stops in the province they rarely ask for travel permits. There are no marks on the floor to line up and some doubt the cleanliness of the transports.


Emilia Vexler

05/28/2020 - 18:10

  • Clarín.com
  • Cities

The conurbano always had its own rules. Before and after the coronavirus pandemic. On public transport too. They are footsteps and footsteps of people who get on a train or a bus to go to work in the City, where there are restrictions. On rails, or on buses, there are stops and stations that are like an "essential" portal to the Capital.

At least that's how it feels at Morón Station. Also in Liniers, the first stop that marks that it is already in the "dimension" of Buenos Aires.

Due to the preventive measures before Covid-19, the transition between being on one side or the other of General Paz has never been so marked . The transfer becomes a symptom. The change of jurisdiction is felt. Also the fear of contagion . Because at peak hours social distancing is not always respected and confidence in cleaning measures is weak.

It is 10.10 am this Thursday and many have 9 or 10 hours left to be outside. "You can go to work", the Caring app tells you, which is compulsory in the Province for those who have to be re-registered in the Unique Certificate to circulate and for those who did not have to take it out before (like journalists). It is read that in three minutes that train arrives that will only stop in Morón and Liniers. There is no need to rush. There is no line to go through the pinwheels. No one goes through pinwheels. The latticed door on the side is open. Nor does anyone ask to be shown anything. It passes and gets on the train. 

The use of public transport
in the metropolitan area

Tap to explore the data

Source: MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT Infographic: Clarín

Belén Ghioni, 28, had her schedule changed. It is that she works in a Flores pharmacy and they needed her "more tomorrow". He does not remember how many hours he has left until he has to respond again if he lost his sense of smell, taste or his temperature - the self-test - until he renews "Caring", as he calls permission. But he knows that he did not lose his nose or taste and that he does not have a fever . He also knows that he is afraid of the way he travels.

"I don't feel safe. There are a lot of people. More on the way back from work. I live in Morón and here I tell you that it is not controlled. You go up as you want. The one who wants to pay ," says Clarín . He has a somewhat oversized striped chinstrap for his face. But the expression, when she talks about what worries her, pierces the canvas. "This is not going well."  Two women from the National Gendarmerie were seen, but they did not stop anyone. They kindly assisted a woman who did not have the permit and helped her get it out with her cell phone. She told them that she was going to Capital for medical treatment.

Belen Ghioni travels on the Sarmiento train to work in a Flores pharmacy. Photo: Guillermo Rodríguez Adami

This Wednesday 997,750 passengers traveled, compared to 4,242,450, who, on average, used trains, buses and subways on business days to travel to the AMBA before the pandemic. There were 6,615 more people than on Tuesday. Compared to the first working Wednesday after mandatory isolation was decreed, the day 459,679 people were transferred, the figure equates to an increase of 538,071 passengers.

The figures, which arise from a survey by the Ministry of Transport of data sent by SUBE cards, indicate that compared to the average number of passengers before quarantine, there were close to 3.2 million fewer passengers using the transport on Wednesday. public , which represents a decrease of 76% compared to a normal day.

And the general transfer between Province and the City? So far in May, the month in which there was an increase in the exceptions to circulation granted by the Government, the percentages remain in the same line. 68% of passengers travel within Greater Buenos Aires; 19% do it within the City; 11%, from the Province to the City; and 2%, from CABA to the Buenos Aires suburbs.

What happens to the groups in Morón that go to Capital? The feeling is identical to what those numbers say: "a lot of people at the stops." But the distance in the line is respected and the buses only have people sitting.

Meanwhile, on the platform of the train station in that town there are no marks that define when one person's meter and a half ends and the other person's begins. Social distancing is anarchy. It is chosen "at ease". With one step forward or one step back. There's even a mother and teenage daughter sitting close together on one of the few benches. After this scene - which raises questions like Where are they going? Why? Why is no one asking them? - the seats are empty.

It is that the transfer from Province to Capital has never been so young. It could be an after (but before work). On this platform there are many pinwheels released, but no one is over 45.

Neither did Jonathan Pacheco. He is 25 and works at a cold meat distributor. He has his headphones on but he doesn't listen to Spotify on the platform. You have to be attentive to the loudspeaker. Before, you only had to avoid getting on a fast train if you had to get off at intermediate stations. Now you have to see which train to get on. 

Jonathan Pacheco takes the Sarmiento train to work at a cold meat distributor in the City. Photo: Guillermo Rodríguez Adami

Since Tuesday, eleven stations on the Miter, Roca, Sarmiento and Belgrano Sur lines within the City have been closed and, according to Argentine Trains, controls on traffic permits were increased so that services are used only by essential workers and excepted . In the case of the Sarmiento, for example, the services will have Once, Caballito, Flores and Liniers as an alternative to Floresta and Villa Luro, where the formations do not stop.

Jonathan understands that his employer "has a small business" and that is why neither he and his colleagues were guaranteed the transfer in remises. "To avoid risks with the coronavirus, in the afternoon, type 19, when I leave work, I always miss a train. Because there are no empty seats interspersed. And I also don't see people cleaning the cars," he says.

Evelyn Córdoba travels to the City to work in a confectionery. Take the train in Morón. Photo: Guillermo Rodríguez Adami

Evelyn Córdoba is a few meters from him. He is 22 years old and works in a Buenos Aires confectionery.

"In two months of quarantine, I was only checked twice to see if I had permission. I am not paranoid and I feel safe traveling on the train, although my colleagues prefer to use the bus, because it is less crowded and more sterilized. But I do it seems bad that in the province you walk as if nothing. When you go to Capital it does get complicated. And it is good that it gets complicated. They take care of us more, "he says, and ends the sentence with a little jump that takes it off the platform and sets it in motion towards Buenos Aires territory. Yours is not the last train to the City.

SC

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2020-05-28

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