Bengaluru: As help pours in from across the country for those stranded in Kerala in the worst floods in a century, private bus operators from the city too are doing their bit and have offered to transport required essentials free of cost.
Only a few private buses are plying towards Kerala and they are transporting basic commodities collected by various groups from the city free of cost.
Murgesh Selvan, a ticket agent in Madiwala, said, “We have been getting a number of calls at our office asking if we can transport basic items to their relatives and friends who have been stranded. We collect the details and ask them to drop the items which are packed at various pick-up points. They should provide the details and contact numbers of those it should reach. We will provide them with details of the buses and drivers, so that it is easier to collect the items from various points. The volunteers in Kerala who are posted at different points coordinate to help in reaching the items to the concerned.”
He said, “As buses cannot reach the destination, we have asked the drivers to stop at the closest point, where the private travel booking office is located. They will drop off the packages, inform the volunteers and give them the location where it should reach. It is a distressing time and we have also asked various private operators not to increase the fares, as there is no other mode of transport available.”
Biju, working for Kerala Lines, said, “Very few routes are open to reach Kerala. They are via Mysuru to Wayanad and via Coimbatore to Kollam, Kochi and surrounding places. We are dropping off relief materials near the closest possible point. The volunteers are playing a major role and they have managed to reach the material to the people concerned.”
