Shah Pasand tongas and ‘heritage carts’ popularly called Sarots came to the rescue of those urgently needing transport here on Saturday with autorickshaws and taxis, including the cab services, keeping off the road following the Karnataka bandh.
In view of the bandh, the sub-urban bus stand and city bus stand, which usually bustles with commuters, wore a deserted look with buses suspending their operations from dawn to dusk.
Moreover, there were not many passengers knowing that buses would keep off the road. But, the services resumed in the evening after people started coming out, and the life returning to normality.
Perhaps, as an alternative to autorickshaws, and in anticipation of people in need of transport, the tongas were present in full strength here. Over a two dozen tongas and Sarots were present at Balarama Gate of Mysuru Palace, close to the city bus-stand, to ferry people. “We had come prepared to ferry people due to bandh. Though some of us managed to carry some passengers, the public movement was restricted and hence getting not many passengers,” said Naushad, who operates a Sarot.
Tongas are normally patronised by tourists who take the joy rides. The space of tongas has been taken over by the autorickshaws and the cab services, leaving little for the tonga operators.
Though some tongas provided alternative mode of transport during the bandh, but the negligible movement of people washed out their plan of making a quick buck.
Autos and cabs resumed their services at around 5 p.m.
