Bus services of both Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private operators are likely to be normal on Sunday when the curfew gets relaxed between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The KSRTC commenced skeletal mofussil services from Mangaluru on Saturday afternoon.
D.K. Bus Operators Association president Dilraj Alva told The Hindu that city buses would operate on Sunday if the situation was peaceful. However, the operations may not be as normal as other days because the day being a Sunday and also because the crew might not be completely equipped to commence the services, he said.
KSRTC Divisional Controller S.N. Aruna said the corporation commenced operations to Dharmasthala, Uppinangady, and Puttur from Saturday afternoon in a staggered manner. The same would continue on Sunday too, he said. Services towards Udupi and beyond were operating as usual except the Bhatkal and Manipal Volvo services, he added.
Meanwhile, the corporation has been operating long-distance services, particularly to and from Bengaluru, by bunching the services and moving them in a convoy since Thursday. The convoy also comprised vehicles with officers and police force that would escort buses till Gundya. Incoming buses were bunched at Sakleshpur and brought in a convoy from Gundya to Mangaluru, he said.
Yet, the corporation had to cancel many other long-distance services following the violence and subsequent imposition of curfew in Mangaluru city, Mr. Aruna added.
