The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) have announced reduction in services and revision in operational hours respectively on account of the weekend curfew. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), on the other hand, said it will look at the demand while deciding on operating services.
The State Government on Tuesday put in place a slew of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, including imposition of weekend curfew.
The KSRTC said that it would look at the demand for services before taking a call on operations. Passengers arriving in Karnataka from Maharashtra, Kerala and Goa will have to mandatorily carry a COVID-19 negative certificate. Decision on night services will be taken based on the number of reservations, the KSRTC added.
The BMTC, on Wednesday, announced that bus services will be suspended on two weekends: January 8-9 and 15-16. Only 10% essential services will be operated on weekends, barring in containment zones, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The general public will not be allowed on such services. Only those categories of people exempted by the Government will be allowed to board the buses, such as Government, court and PSU employees, medical staff, patients and caregivers, students attending exams and media personnel. Those without masks will not be allowed, a BMTC statement said.
BMRCL has revised timings of operations. “On account of weekend curfew from Friday 10 p.m. to Monday 5 a.m. in the State, Namma Metro train operational hours are revised on Saturdays and Sundays. On these days, there will be metro train services commencing at 8 a.m. from the terminal stations - Nagasandra, Silk Institute, Kengeri and Baiyappanahalli - and will operate up tso 9 p.m. with a frequency of 20 minutes. The last metro train service will be at 9 p.m. from all the terminal stations. This will be effective till the curfew is in force,” BMRCL said in a statement.
Mondays to Thursdays, there will be no changes and train services will be available as usual from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. from the terminals with reduced frequency during the last one hour as already notified, it added. Only on Fridays, train services will be closed an hour early - at 10 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. - from the terminal stations.
Bannerghatta park also closed
Authorities at Bannerghatta Biological Park have announced that the park will remain closed for visitors during the two weekends. However, the park will be open on January 11 (Tuesday).
