After day of disruption, transportation to TN restored

Transportation to Tamil Nadu from Karnataka was restored on Wednesday evening with officials at borders allowing private vehicles registered in Karnataka to cross the toll plaza though KSRTC decided to wait till 7 pm.

Following the announcement of the death of former chief minister M Karunanidhi on Tuesday evening, officials had stopped all the vehicles bearing registration numbers with KA initials at the border as a precautionary measure.

An official at Attibele Toll Plaza said private vehicles were allowed to enter Tamil Nadu in the later afternoon but large vehicles and buses, especially those belonging to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were held. However, private buses and maxicabs also started operating by the evening.

“Many of those stranded on the border have been crossing the toll plaza by foot and boarding vehicles on the other side. There are several maxicabs and auto-rickshaws picking up passengers on the other side and plying to Hosur and nearby towns,” he said.

The official said police have been deployed at the plaza as well as near the border to monitor the situation while patrol vehicles were keeping an eye on the flow of traffic. There has been no untoward incident like stone throwing and “normality” will be restored around 6 pm, he said.

In Hosur, hundreds of tankers carrying inflammable materials were pulled to the side of the road though police allowed other trucks running further into Tamil Nadu. All shops and establishments had downed their shutters and the whole town wore a deserted look.