Finally, KSRTC will operate buses to Maharashtra from September 22

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation on Friday said it will restart its operations to Maharashtra from September 22.

In a statement, the KSRTC said it had stopped operation of inter-state bus services due to Covid-19 and Lockdown. "As lockdown has been relaxed, KSRTC will restart the operations to Maharashtra State from September 22," the statement read.

The services will be operated from Bengaluru, Davangere, Mangaluru and various other places of the state keeping in view the density of passengers, the transport corporation said. The KSRTC said it is mandatory for the passengers to wear masks. It said passengers can book tickets in advance online at www.ksrtc.in or through KSRTC/Franchisee advance reservation counters for the above services.

Even before the lockdown was effected, the KSRTC had stopped its AC bus services to various states and gradually suspended the inter-state bus movement due to coronavirus scare.

The suspension of bus services led to a loss of crores of rupees to the state owned transport corporation. With the unlock phase on, the KSRTC resumed services but not to Maharashtra which was one of the COVID-19 hotspots.

As many as 2,500 government buses were in operation to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Puducherry before the lockdown.