With Bengaluru being on the boil due to raging protests over the Cauvery dispute, Malayali passengers looking to go home for Onam have some bad news.
Considering the seriousness of the situation in Karnataka, the Kerala government has decided to temporarily cancel the services of the state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, according to a report in the Indian Express.
“The primary concern of the government is the safety of our passengers. We are aware that many Keralites in the neighbouring states want to reach their home state to celebrate Onam. We are keenly monitoring the developments in both the states and the moment there is any relaxation in the present tension, we will take steps to resume the service,” he said. He said “there is risk to continue service when the tension prevails,” Kerala Transport Minister A K Saseendran told reporters.
As per a report in Manorama Online, up to 27 buses, including five Volvo, are stuck in Bengaluru. Buses that have already embarked from Kerala will stop at Sultan Bathery.
Private bus operators including Kallada travels also suspended their services on Monday.
Byju, manager of Suresh Kallada travels, said that all services to and from Bengaluru were cancelled since Monday afternoon.
"Buses that had already left for Bengaluru were stopped on the way itself within the state," he said.
Though the Kerala government has decided to suspend services to Karnataka till the situation subsides, private bus operators say that a decision on this will be taken only on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the services are expected to resume by midnight.
“DGP Loknath Behera also spoke to his counterpart in Karnataka. They have assured necessary protection to our vehicles if there is any relaxation to the situation. But, the report which we are getting from Bengaluru is that agitators are asking to close down our bus counters there,” Saseendran said.
The Supreme Court's modified directive to Karnataka on Monday to release 12,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till September 20 has further aggravated the already tense situation in the state.
After the SC directive on Monday morning, Kannada activists took to the streets, targeting public and private vehicles with Tamil Nadu registration and also commercial establishments owned by Tamils.
Sporadic violence was reported in Karnataka throughout the day with the protests turning violent in some areas.