Karnataka denies Kerala's request for more night buses

Bengaluru: Karnataka has turned down Kerala’s request to allow more buses to operate at night through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The decision came during an emergency meeting held by Karnataka’s forest minister, Eshwar Khandre. Kerala had applied to the Supreme Court to increase the number of state-owned buses from four to eight. This request was based on rising passenger traffic, especially during festivals and holidays. Currently, both Karnataka and Kerala are limited to four buses each, a restriction that has been in place since 2009. During the meeting, officials discussed the state’s stance on maintaining the ban. They also decided to withdraw an affidavit that had been submitted to the court regarding vehicle movement. It was noted that the officer who filed the affidavit was not officially designated as the legal conducting officer. MLA HM Ganesh Prasad emphasized that Karnataka intends to keep the current rules as they are and will not permit additional buses. Furthermore, principal chief conservator of forests Subhash Malkhede confirmed that the state will maintain its existing position. The government plans to form an experts' committee to gather new data on the ban, wildlife movement, and passenger traffic. This information will be presented to the Supreme Court for further consideration. Recently, there has been political pressure to reevaluate the nighttime traffic ban, including support from Congress leaders.