Uninterrupted inter-district and local services operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) came to the rescue of passengers who were stranded in different parts of the district following the indefinite strike by private bus operators on Thursday. Though the strike hit normal life, the entry of KSRTC with additional services helped commuters to a large extent.
KSRTC officials said many of the drivers and conductors cancelled their leaves for emergency services on Thursday. The rush was beyond expectations as many of the government institutions and private companies functioned as normal, they said.
The number of passengers was high on the Kozhikode-Kannur and Kozhikode-Wayanad route though there were trips like chain service for passengers. Bus on Demand (BOND) services were also operated by many institutions for their employees, they said.
Functionaries of the KSRTC Employees Welfare Union said there were a large number of women conductors on duty on Thursday who managed to meet the challenge very efficiently. The rush was almost unmanageable on the Kozhikode-Wayanad route but they rose to the situation, they said.
Considering the difficulty in travelling, many government, private and aided schools in the district rescheduled their exams. Classes were held as usual in most of the city schools.
Taxi operators were found cashing in on the opportunity by operating short and long-distance services in the district. They also spoiled the attempts of some of the private vehicle owners to operate parallel services covering some of the prominent hospitals and the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
