Passenger bus services between Karnataka and Kerala that had remained suspended for over nine months following COVID-19 resumed on Monday with State Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) operating services between Kasargod in Kerala and Mangaluru in Karnataka.
Though unlock 4 and 5 had envisaged resumption of interstate bus services and Karnataka was eager to introduce transport, the Kerala government had not allowed interstate bus operations. This had caused uproar, particularly in border areas, where people travel to neighbouring States for their livelihood.
Consequently, buses used to “exchange” passengers at border posts, Talapady on Dakshina Kannada and Kasargod in Kerala. Passengers bound for either direction had to get down at the border and board the waiting bus of another State.
From Monday, both Karnataka SRTC and Kerala SRTC resumed services between Kasargod and Mangaluru by deploying 20 buses each. Both corporations are expected to clock 120 single trips each per day, said KSRTC’s Mangaluru divisional controller S.N. Aruna. Before the lockdown, both corporations were running 40 buses doing 240 single trips each. Both RTCs have resumed the services with about six minutes frequency.
They will decide about operating normal services depending on the response from passengers, Mr. Aruna added.
Buses to T.N.
Meanwhile, KSRTC in a release said operations from different parts of Karnataka to Tamil Nadu that started from November 11 would continue. The corporation would operate all regular services from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu keeping in view demand. Passengers have to wear masks, the release said, adding advance tickets could be booked at www.ksrtc.in or through booking counters of KSRTC or franchisees.
