Public transport curbs hitting elderly and informal workers hard

ISTANBUL

An anti-COVID-19 regulation in Turkey that bans people aged 65 and over as well as below 20 from using inner city public transport system are causing extra hardship for those who do informal jobs and the less well-offs.

As part of the wider restrictions introduced to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control, several provinces, including Istanbul, which is home to more than 16 million people, are cancelling public transport pass cards of the elderly and the youth.

The move is however, causing considerable strain on those who need to go to hospital yet cannot afford other means but public transport and people who are not doing informal jobs, such domestic work. The curbs are also affecting parents that need to travel with children and those who need to accompany their disabled relatives.

“We are old people and very often visit doctors. I and my husband have multiple health problems. We have to go to hospital, but we cannot because of the restriction,” 70-year-old Zehra Kara told daily Milliyet,

She noted that previously they were allowed to use public transport within certain hours, calling on the authorities to lift the ban.

People with children are also complaining about the restriction.

The curb is against the laws, it is a violation of the right to travel, said Esra Yılmaz.

“We take the bus with our little children. What are we expected to do? Should we fly? People with their own cars can travel freely but those who don’t are suffering,” she scolded.

Seda Kalem, a mother of two, agrees. Kalem said she needed to visit her mother who is in hospital, but she cannot, because she has to look after her children. “I cannot leave them home alone and they cannot come with me to hospital due to the travel restrictions. I need to go out because I have to,” Kalem said.

One group of people, who are also taking the blow from the travel restriction, is domestic workers, mostly women doing paid cleaning and other works in homes.

“Those women cannot commute anymore to work. They have to work but the ban prevents them from working,” said Gülhan Benli, the head of the Home Workers’ Solidarity Union (EVİD-SEN).

Those people would take care of the ill, children and do house works on an irregular basis, now they cannot make any money because of the ban, Benli noted.

According to the Istanbul Governor’s Office, people who are aged 65 or above and those below 25 and working in the formal sector, can use the public transport provided that they have a document from their employees, confirming their employment status.

If they apply to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s relevant department, they will be exempt from the ban.

The governor’s office also said that those who cannot afford commuting financially may call the ALO VEFA helpline. In this case, the district governors’ offices make necessary arrangements, providing them with a vehicle.