Bengaluru: Karnataka state government is ready to restart inter-state bus services and has also wrtitten to the neighbouring states in this regard.

However, the state will not open the inter-state travel between Karnataka and Maharashtra considering the fact that Maharashtra is still at high risk as far as COVID is concerned.

“Now after unlock, operations have been restored to Andhra Pradesh only. Letter correspondence was made to other states for restoration of operations. But they are yet to respond. The state is ready to resume bus services to all other states, except Maharashtra,” Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who is aso in-charge of transport department said in a statement.

A decision on opening the travel to Maharashtra will be taken after a month, said sources.

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 Karnataka government, on Monday ordered discontinuation of several screening and surveillance procedures at borders, bus stands, railway stations and airports.

Even the 14 days of quarantine has been discontinued after the Centre directed states to ensure no restriction was imposed on the inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods.