Reply: According to information obtained from the NLTA, Route 5 (Baie du Cap to Quatre Bornes) extends over 48 km and involves 30 stages. It is served by twenty-one individual bus operators and eighty-four trips are performed on a daily basis. No formal complaint regarding unsatisfactory bus services has been lodged with the NLTA as at 07 October 2025 for this particular route. However, a few verbal complaints pertaining mainly to non-compliance with bus time table, transboarding of passengers and frequent breakdown of buses along this route have been received. Route 243 (Chamarel to Quatre Bornes) extends over 37 km and involves 23 stages and it is serviced by two individual operators (Perle Logistics Ltd. and Perle de la Savanne Ltd.) and one bus of the National Transport Corporation (NTC). 25 trips have to be performed daily, according to the timetable. On 02 October 2025, the Ministry of Land Transport had a meeting session with officers of the NLTA to take stock of the transport situation in the region of Chamarel and neighbouring localities.

156 During that meeting, the NLTA was requested to explore the possibility of deploying mini buses for easier maneuvering along Route 243 having regards to the topography of the road to and from Chamarel. The NLTA has accordingly contacted two bus companies (UBS and RHT) to supplement the services. They are agreeable to the proposal on the condition that they are compensated additionally for such services. A meeting has been also held at the level of the NLTA with the two existing individual operators of Route 243 where they gave assurance that – 1. Perle Logistics Ltd. will vary temporarily one bus from Route 5 to Route 243 with immediate effect; 2. Perle de la Savanne Ltd. is acquiring a new bus which will operate along route 243 as from next week. The abovementioned buses are all 60 seaters and not suitable for Route 243. They will be replaced by their owners by 40-seater buses in some two months’ time. The NLTA will also conduct a survey on the level of services in the region and determine whether there is need to grant additional licences. In the meantime, the NLTA is maintaining regular checks and monitoring the services along both routes despite its acute shortage of inspectors. As regards part (b) of the question, according to information obtained from NLTA, the majority of students are currently not attending school regularly due to end of year exams. The NLTA is, therefore, liaising with the school administration to obtain data on the number of students commuting along these routes. GAZA-ISRAEL CONFLICT– MAURITIUS’ OFFICIAL STANCE