: Even as both commuters and the official machinery heave a sigh of relief with the resumption of regular bus services to Karnataka, the non-operation of inter-State buses via the Hosur border and via the Palar checkpost near Mettur has caused huge financial loss to the Salem division of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC).
The Salem division has suffered a loss to the tune of Rs. 6 crore due to the non-operation of buses to Karnataka in the last one month, according to corporation sources.
TNSTC operated around 200 buses daily to different parts of Karnataka from Salem, Dharmapuri, Hosur, Krishnagiri, Palacode, Pennagaram, Namakkal, Tiruchengode, Tirupathur and Uthangarai via the Hosur border.
Besides, buses were operated from Mettur to Mysuru and the temple town of M. M. Hills via the Palar river checkpost.
All these services remained suspended since September 5, when the Supreme Court directed the Karnataka Government to release about 15,000 cusecs of water from Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs to Tamil Nadu continuously for 10 days. The TNSTC took all steps to minimise the financial loss by operating buses up to Hosur and from Mettur up to the Palar checkpost.
At both these points, the commuters covered a few kilometres by walk before entering Karnataka to board the waiting Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses to their respective destinations.
The huge loss has dealt a severe blow to the Salem division of the TNSTC and it is exploring all avenues to make good the loss.
Official sources said that the corporation has planned to take full advantage of the forthcoming Ayudha Pooja holidays and the Deepavali festival season by operating special buses in all the profitable routes to fetch as much revenue as possible.