The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses have started plying from Cumbum to Kumili from Wednesday.
The services, which were suspended since April 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdown, could not be resumed earlier even though the State government had relaxed the guidelines.
The buses, which were catering to Kumili and Cumbum Mettu also operated to Kattapanai and Nedungandam in Kerala. Continuous rainfall in the ghat sections had forced the buses to remain off the roads even though the TN government had relaxed the curfew guidelines last year. Even when the e-pass system was introduced, farmers and workers going to Kerala travelled on motorbikes and other mode of transport, including share autos and jeeps.
The highways authority had carried out repair works on the ghat section since December 24, 2020 and completed them on January 5 following which Collector M. Pallavi Baldev had ordered the operation of the TNSTC buses from Wednesday, the officials said.
Commuters in Cumbum expressed happiness over the resumption of bus services to neighbouring Kerala. The health officials appealed to the commuters to wear face masks without fail and maintain physical distancing.
