KSRTC services hit due to unrest in Tamil Nadu

BENGALURU: Bus services operated by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to Tamil Nadu were halted for the second time in the past ten days as unrest over the Cauvery water sharing dispute in the neighbouring state led to fears in the corporation that the state-owned buses might be targeted. On Wednesday, buses were operated only till the Karnataka border with Tamil Nadu in the morning based on an advisory that KSRTC received from the police.

Around 250 buses which ferry passengers on the busy route between the two states did not ply on Wednesday morning. The situation improved around 4pm and KSRTC resumed services with around 200 buses scheduled to depart in the evening and night operated. According to KSRTC, the estimated loss in revenue on Wednesday due to the cancelled buses was `19.44 lakh with 111 schedules cancelled from Bengaluru, Ramnagara, Kolar, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Davanagere, Shivamogga and other divisions.

"On Tuesday, buses that were returning to Karnataka operated normally in the night. On Wednesday morning, buses from Bengaluru division were halted first and then services from all divisions were stopped. However, the services resumed in the evening," a KSRTC official said.