Inter-state buses between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will continue to operate after November 16 without the need for e-registration, as per the government of Tamil Nadu. The announcement came after the Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa requested the government of Tamil Nadu to extend operations.
On November 11, the Tamil Nadu government had allowed State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses and private operators to run services between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka without e-registration. This was permitted due to the festival weekend and the expectation that hundreds of people living in either states would want to be with their families during Deepavali. Originally permitted till November 16, the services have now been extended to beyond November 16.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had also resumed operations to Tamil Nadu following the government order which permitted buses to operate without e-registration till November 16. After this extension, it is expected that KSRTC will continue to operate its buses to Tamil Nadu until further notification.
Both the states had suspended inter-state bus transport in March due to COVID-19 pandemic. Months later, though flight services and passenger railway services resumed, inter-state bus transport services alone remained suspended. With Deepavali in sight, several residents, travellers associations and even bus operator associations demanded that the governments make some arrangement to facilitate movement between the two states so that people can celebrate festivals with their families, which led to the government of Tamil Nadu relax the e-registration requirement.
Tamil Nadu, currently, has permitted bus transport services to and from Puducherry without e-registration. The earlier system of filing for an e-pass and receiving approval based on the reasons for travel was replaced with a mandatory e-registration a few months ago. According to the new system of e-registration, approvals are issued automatically to those who apply through the Tamil Nadu government’s e-pass portal.