Bengaluru: A series of breaking news reports on news television channels and news websites on the health condition of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa triggered tension on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu (TN) border on Monday.
As both KSRTC and TNRTC withdrew their inter-state bus services, thousands of passengers were stranded in several parts of the city.
The day started with the KSRTC officials announcing cancellation of all services to the neighbouring state after two buses were pelted with stones. As the news spread, private bus operators too cancelled their services to Tamil Nadu. Only TNRTC services were plying, but they too were withdrawn towards evening.
KSRTC officials said that TN-bound buses from Mysuru, Kolar and Mandya too were cancelled fearing attacks. “All the night buses were operated as per schedule, but the services during the day were withdrawn,” a KSRTC official said.
“Some Kerala bus services too were cancelled, putting people visiting both states into a lot of hardship,” he said.
Mr Suresh Rao, a private bus operator, said, “Every day more than 600 schedules are operated from KR Market and Shanthinagar. On Monday, the services were cancelled.”
KSRTC buses only till Attibele
TN-bound passengers and KSRTC officials indulged in verbal altercations in Attibele as KSRTC cancelled all its trips to Tamil Nadu Attibele onwards fearing violence on Monday.
Passengers said that the KSRTC is operating TN-bound buses only till Attibele and that they are asked to take TN buses from the border point.
“The fights were over the change problem and fare issues. If KSRTC was not ready to operate TN schedules, why should operate buses only till Attibele? It is not an easy task to catch a bus from Attibele to various parts of TN,” said Mr Shanmugam Krishnamurthy, a passenger.
Residents living on the border of the two states were the worst hit as they found it difficult to change two buses to reach their destinations.
“Residents of Hosur and surrounding areas largely depend on Bengaluru hospitals for treatment. They were the real victims of this tension. A few weeks ago, there was no bus connectivity between the two states for more than a month because of the Cauvery crisis,” said Mr Krishnamurthy.
No trains cancelled
Train passengers were misled by reports in a section of the media that all trains between Bengaluru and Chennai were cancelled on Monday. South Western Railway officials, however, clarified that no trains between the two cities were cancelled on Monday. “Only mail express was rescheduled as Karnataka Express was arriving late to the city. No trains were cancelled,” a senior officer said.
But following news of simmering tension in Chennai, hundreds of passengers cancelled their journey on Monday. “Occupancy rate in all trains was less. But those who could not able to catch a bus used trains to reach Chennai,” he said.
