Bringing relief to commuters, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) partially resumed its inter-State services to Bengaluru from eight depots in the State on Thursday.

The services have remained suspended since Monday in the wake of violence in the garden city over a Supreme Court order on release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.

Video – Manorama News

Reservation counters

The decision to reopen the reservation counters of the KSRTC at the satellite bus station and Shanthi Nagar in Bengaluru and commence the inter-State services was taken since normality was being restored in the neighbouring State.

Three services from Kozhikode, two each from Thalassery, Thrissur, Kottayam, Pala, and Kottarakara, one each from Guruvayur and Thiruvananthapuram began on Thursday. Only express, super deluxe, and super fast services of the KSRTC will be operated for the time being.

The first service from Kozhikode left for Bengaluru at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The service from Thiruvananthapuram at 8 p.m. will reach Begaluru around Friday noon.

The routes

Of the 15 services, two will operate via Salem in Tamil Nadu and the remaining via Sulthan Bathery-Gundalpet-Mysuru-Mandya. KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director Antony Chacko, who is in Bengaluru to oversee the arrangements, told that the response to the services was good.

KSRTC personnel working at the reservation centres reached Bengaluru on Thursday morning and reopened two reservation centres by 8 p.m. The reservation centres at Peria, Kalasipalayam, Majestic (Kampegowda bus station), and Koramangala will resume operations on Friday.

The KSRTC normally operates 45 schedules daily and ferries 2,500 commuters in one direction during peak season and earns Rs.3.25 lakh. In the meantime, the Karnataka Road Transport Corporation resumed its inter-State services from Bengaluru to Kerala.

SOURCEThe Hindu
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