For over 10 days, hundreds of residents of Hosur, who are employed on this side of the State border, are going through trying times.
Their routine includes getting off a T.N.-registration vehicle at the border, walking for about a kilometre, and then getting into a K.A.-registration vehicle to reach their workplace. On their return, it is vice versa.
At the Bengaluru-Hosur border, regular commuters between the two States say this has been their life for at least two weeks. A KSRTC bus with a Bengaluru-Hosur board makes its way up to the grey wall that marks the end of Karnataka State. Scores of passengers, some of them with baggage in tow, alight and walk towards the “other side” and vice versa.
“We start from home at 8.30 a.m. Though our office starts at 9 a.m., we have been managing to reach by 10 a.m. But they are not cutting our salary yet as they are aware of the situation. By the time we reach home again, it is 8.30 p.m.,” said Lakshmi, a garment factory worker whose office is in Bommanahalli while she lives in Hosur.
Hundreds like her are getting used to the cross-border exchange of transport. But they are not complaining. Instead, they’ve resigned to their fate.
“They know our hands are tied. It has been over a week since we went across the border,” said a KSRTC bus driver, parking behind a row of buses that abort their journeys at the border now.
The huge groups of people eking out a living in one State and living in the other have factored the additional walk and change in buses into their schedule. “It takes an extra 20 minutes for the walk. We are also shelling out more money because of the change in buses,” said Nethra, a private company employee.
Autorickshaw drivers have decided to adapt to the changed circumstances. They now offer shared rides from the border until Attibele. “Each passenger pays Rs. 10. Earlier, we would collect Rs. 50 from one passenger for the same ride.”
Despite the inconvenience, life goes on.
Shaktivel, a building contractor, has a majority of his clientele in Bengaluru south and south-east. His house is in Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. “At present, I am constructing houses in BTM Layout. I can’t stop midway because of the difficulty in travelling. My house is some 40 km after the Hosur border. But what can I do?” he shrugged.
KSRTC spokesperson said the arrangement will continue for now.
