Nearly two months of suspension of bus services in the district has caused heavy monetary loss to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. Officials put the loss at ₹46.75 crore.
Over 700 buses ply from the central bus stand to various States including Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and parts of Karnataka. The daily earning was over ₹85 lakh to the Corporation. But after imposition of lockdown, this earning was completely stopped.
The district has around 3,300 staff including drivers, conductors and those in charge of maintenance of buses.
After the government resumed bus services, around 1,000 employees are back at work. As a health precaution, all employees who are 55 years and above have been advised to stay at home and not come for work until further notice. However those who volunteer to join service are allowed.
Since the government has ordered the buses to be operated between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., all buses travelling a distance of around 200 km will come back on the same day.
The Corporation started Sarige services to Bengaluru from Wednesday. The buses will start from 7.30 a.m. onwards till 9 a.m. at an interval of 30 minutes.
An official said that night bus service has been started for long distance routes from Wednesday. The buses must leave before 7 p.m. The buses will, however, operate based on the availability of passengers
