KSRTC suspends bus services to T.N.

Decision taken after a bus was stoned in Tiruvannamalai; security tightened along the border

Passengers bound for Tamil Nadu boarding a TNSTC bus at the Mysuru bus stand on Monday.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has suspended its bus services from Mysuru to Tamil Nadu in the light of the tense situation prevailing in the neighbouring State over Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s health condition.

Though eight buses left Mysuru early on Monday to different parts of Tamil Nadu, a communication was sent to the drivers to return from Chamarajanagar border.

“KSRTC buses are not going beyond Chamarajanagar border for the time being,” KSRTC’s Mysuru Rural Divisional Controller M. Mahesh told

The Hindu .

A decision to suspend KSRTC bus services was taken after the Mysuru division officials received instructions from the corporation’s headquarters against operating buses to the neighbouring State till the situation eased. “This decision was taken after a KSRTC bus was stoned in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu,” a KSRTC official said. Mr. Mahesh said 70 KSRTC buses and 39 Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses ply between Mysuru and different destinations in Tamil Nadu every day. About 12 KSRTC buses, mostly the premium Volvos, which were already in Tamil Nadu, have been instructed against beginning their return journey.

“These buses, which reached Madurai, Ooty, Coimbatore and other destinations in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, have been told against beginning their return journey to Mysuru till they receive our instructions. The return journey of some buses, which were scheduled to start around 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m., has been put off. We are hoping to bring the buses back in an overnight journey,” said a KSRTC official.

Train services normal

Train services to Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu from Mysuru remained normal with all trains operating on time. “Train service has remained normal today,” said an official from South Western Railway in Mysuru.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened along Karnataka’s border with Tamil Nadu in Chamarajanagar district. “We have posted personnel at all the seven check-posts in the district, including striking force, wherever necessary,” said Superintendent of Chamarajanagar district police Kuldeep Kumar Jain.

Though the police have not barred vehicles from crossing the border, the volume of traffic across two States has come down substantially since Sunday night, Mr. Jain said. “But we have not stopped any vehicle from crossing the border,” he said.