KSRTC Ooty buses will take new route to reduce travel time

BENGALURU: Here’s good news for passengers travelling between Ooty and Bengaluru on Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses.
KSRTC managing director Shivayogi C Kalasad on Saturday said they have decided to operate buses on a new route to reduce travel time. Officials said they are now operating services between Bengaluru and Ooty via Mysuru and Bandipur, which takes about eight hours during the day and seven hours at night. But KSRTC is unable to operate additional services during night due to the night- traffic ban at Bandipur forest.

“There is a huge demand for overnight buses between Ooty and Bengaluru. But we are allowed to operate only two buses between 10pm-6am through Bandipur forest due to the curbs. We are now planning to operate buses via Mettup alayam and Sathyamangalam, a route which has better roads and takes only seven hours during day time and 6.5 hours at night,” said a KSRTC official. He said they will soon sign an inter-state agreement with Tamil Nadu to operate more buses.

Kalasad said there is a need to build a permanent shelter and toilets for passengers at Shantinagar bus station during festivals. “Fire extinguishers will be installed at all depots, workshops and bus stations,” he said.