JOIN USKarnataka ready to resume inter-state bus services
Karnataka is preparing to restart inter-state bus services with life returning to normalcy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our transport corporations are ready to resume bus operations to Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Telangana,” Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, the state’s transport minister, said in a statement.
“But we are yet to get a green signal from these states,” he said. State-owned KSRTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC are ready to operate bus services, Savadi said.
Karnataka, however, is not willing to send its buses into Maharashtra just yet.
Savadi said a decision on bus services to Maharashtra will be taken next month.
“With the situation having gotten better, we have already started bus services to Andhra Pradesh,” Savadi said.
“Keeping in mind public demand to restart buses to Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Telangana, the Transport department has written a letter seeking the opinion of these states. We expect a positive response from these states soon,” Savadi said.
Before the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed, Karnataka had 2,500 buses going into the neighbouring states daily.
It is widely expected that Unlock 4.0, which will kick in from September 1, will see more and more services being freed up.
Easing inter-state travel, Karnataka has ordered ‘discontinuation’ of several screening and surveillance procedures at its borders, bus stands, railway stations and airports.