BENGALURU: Additional Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus services will be plying from Karnataka to Kerala for a few days as a large number of private buses have held their services since Monday. This is following the strike that was called by the Inter State Bus Owners Association members against the harassment by the Motors Vehicles Department in the wake of the Kallada bus incident.
There are around 25 buses plying between Bengaluru and Kerala, most of which operate at night. At the same time, Kerala-owned SRTC too has been operating the same number of buses to Bengaluru.
To ensure passengers from Kerala and Karnataka do not get affected by the strike, Karnataka-owned SRTC buses are plying four buses to Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannanur and Palakkad.
Some passengers opted for trains
Bengaluru: Trains across the Bengaluru Railway Division heading to Kerala witnessed a slight surge in ridership following news that interstate buses between Kerala and Karnataka will not be run in certain destinations. The Karnataka Kerala Travellers Forum committee member Vinod Thomas said the cancellation has definitely impacted the travel plans of some Keralites heading to their home town. Among those who received an sms on Monday morning announcing the cancellation of bus services from ‘Kerala Lines’ was Sibinan Mathew, who runs his own business at Indira Nagar. He had planned to visit Pathapimthippa district in Kerala a day in advance in connection with his cousin’s wedding. “My bus was scheduled for 6.30 pm and I got the cancellation from Kerala Lines at 10.30 am. I have hurriedly booked a train ticket and I am on the waiting list for travel by Kochuveli Express on Tuesday,” he said.