Title - Cauvery crisis badly affects transport services TNN | Oct 1, 2012, 04.59AM IST

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BANGALORE: The Cauvery crisis completely disrupted transport services on the Bangalore-Mysore sector on Sunday. While two trains were detained by activists for a few minutes, KSRTC services were in complete disarray in the sensitive areas.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had to re-route its services on Bangalore Mysore road through Kanakapura. About 400 buses are operated on the route daily. About 75-80 trips of Volvo buses on the route were suspended.

"The number of passengers was relatively low. As there was a fear among people, only those with urgency took buses. Also, Brindavan is closed and will remain so for a few more days," said Ashok Kumar, chief traffic manager (Operations), KSRTC.

The local services in Mandya and Maddur bus depots were not operated in anticipation of trouble. A depot has around 100-150 buses plying daily.

Vehicular traffic across Tamil Nadu border in Chamarajanagar was stopped after pro-Kannada activists detained a TN-registered milk van at Chamarajanagar. Vehicles were stranded on either sides of the border, especially at Punajanur checkpost, the connecting point to Coimbatore.

A passenger train from Bangalore to NCR was detained at Anekal, near Hosur post, for 10 minutes by Kannada Jagarana Vedike activists. Similarly, train number 12613, Tipu Express, was stopped for seven minutes at Mandya by Karnataka Kasturi Vedike workers. However, no violence was reported.

There was no other disruption in train movement in the region. "We had deployed extra security in sensitive areas. We have been sending more forces when any disturbance was anticipated," said AK Agarwal, divisional railway manager.

Tight vigil at dams

Notwithstanding the prohibitory orders, which were imposed late on Saturday night ahead of the water release to preempt farmers from gathering at the site, agitators gathered near KRS dam in an act of defiance. Led by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader and former MLA K S Puttannaiah, some 400 farmers staged a sit-in before being arrested. They were later released. At HD Kote, farmers were stopped from reaching Kabini dam site by a strong posse of police and arrested and released. However, the farmers have said they will continue the agitation.

Police are keeping a tight vigil at KRS and Kabini dams from where water was released at 12.30am. Southern Range IGP K Ramachandra Rao said the situation is under control. "There are no untoward incidents. We are getting a company of BSF which will assist police. A company of RAF will be stationed at Mandya and Mysore," he told TOI.