Coronavirus: Karnataka government writes to neighbouring states to restart inter-state bus services

The Karnataka government is preparing to restart interstate bus services and has written to neighbouring states in this regard.
 

Karnataka cleared the ground for unrestricted travel in the state after five months of restrictions due to COVID-19, two expert committees that have been advising the government on the pandemic have recommended an increase in testing in order to flatten the positivity rate and to ensure that the disease control efforts remain effective.

"Now after unlocking, operations are restored to Andhra Pradesh only. Letter correspondence was made to other states for restoration of operations. But they are yet to respond," deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi said.

“Our transport corporations are ready to resume bus operations to Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Telangana. Letter correspondence was made to other states for the restoration of operations. But they are yet to respond,” he added.

Savadi, who is in-charge of the transport department said, from our end, we are all set to re-start bus operations to these states except Maharashtra.
 

However, the Karnataka government has not yet decided to operate bus services to Maharashtra. “Since Maharashtra is still suffering from COVID high risk, a decision on bus services to Maharashtra will be taken next month,” he added.
 

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.

The state government on Monday had ordered discontinuation of several screening and surveillance procedures aimed at containing COVID-19 at borders, bus stands, railway stations and airports, also 14 days of quarantine, following the Centre asking states to ensure no restriction was imposed on the inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods.