Bus services to Tamil Nadu were hit on Friday in the backdrop of Supreme Court verdict on the Cauvery issue. A total of 178 services either cancelled or partially operated.
The KSRTC incurred revenue loss of ₹16.02 lakh on Friday owing to the non-operation or partial operation of buses to Tamil Nadu.
A majority of the buses were stopped at Attibele check post following instructions from the police. The highest number schedules – 98 – were cancelled from Ramanagaram division of KSRTC. From Bengaluru Central division, 29 buses were cancelled.
K.S. Vishwanth, General Manager (Operations) said, “Following the instructions from the police, some of our buses were stopped at Attibele check post and buses operating from Chamarajanagar and Mysuru were stopped at the border area. Bus services to Tamil Nadu returned to normal after evening and operations resumed as usual. Even buses from Tamil Nadu become operational towards the evening.”
Vehicular movement at the border near Attibele stopped after Supreme Court’s judgement on Cauvery issue. Security at the Attibele check post had been tightened since Thursday night. Over 100 policemen and two KSRP platoons were deployed in the area.
As the verdict was pronounced, the police stopped vehicles bearing Karnataka registration numbers from crossing the border towards Tamil Nadu. Even vehicles coming from Tamil Nadu were stopped at the border and people were seen walking to cross the border.
A few Kannada activists celebrated the verdict by distributing sweets. On other side of the border, a group of farmers staged a protest.
