Metro likely to get women-only coach

Bengaluru, May 17: Left to itself, Karnataka will look to spring back towards normalcy under Lockdown 4.0 as the state government is on standby to resume public transport services from May 18, if the Centre allows it. 

Though KSRTC and BMTC have been preparing for resumption of services, officials in the two corporations told DH that they cannot make a move till the government makes a decision.

Transport Commissioner N Shivakumar said the department will take a decision based on the state government's orders. "The government will take a call on buses as well as taxi and other transport services," he said.

Senior officials in the state government said Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Laxman Savadi has written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari seeking a nod for resumption of the services. 

Transport Secretary Gaurav Gupta has written a separate letter to his counterpart in the Union government requesting permission to operate public transport. "The state government wants the services to open. The official has listed out the steps the corporations will take to ensure social distancing other steps that will be taken to check spread of Coronavirus," a source said.

The B S Yediyurappa administration has been bullish on easing lockdown restrictions. 

If the Centre empowers the states to define Lockdown 4.0, Karnataka is likely to do away with the red-orange-green zoning of districts and allow public services to resume, except in COVID-19 containment zones. The government is also likely to redefine its containment strategy by micromanaging localities where COVID-19 cases are reported, without letting life in an entire district get affected. 

The government has already shown willingness to allow hotels and gyms to open after May 17 subject to social distancing norms and restrictions. In fact, the government has proposed to allow the resumption of all economic activities in standalone establishments. The government, however, is not keen on opening malls, theatres, diners and establishments that have centralized air conditioning. 

“Everything depends on the Centre,” Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan said. “Our only stand is that the red zone should be treated at par with the other zone when it comes to relaxation.” 

Mangaluru, July 1: Even as the number of covid-19 positive cases is mounting with every passing day in the region, the Dakshina Kannada district recorded three new deaths due to coronavirus within 24 hours. 

According to sources, a septuagenarian from Bhatkal breathed his last on Wednesday afternoon. He was suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and battling respiratory illness and pneumonia. His swab was collected and sent for test and the result came as positive.

Earlier in the day, two people had died in Mangaluru due to covid-19: A 31-year-old youth from Bhatkal and a 78-year-old man from Bengre in the city.

The coastal district has witnessed seven deaths from Sunday due to coronavirus.

The 31-year-old man, who was battling health issues due to high blood pressure, breathed his last at a private hospital. His swab was collected after his death. The report came as corona-positive.

The elderly man from Bengre was suffering from diabetes and pneumonia. He passed away at a private hospital.

With this, the total number of death of covid patients in the district reached to 17. Among them two people died due to non-covid reasons.

Mangaluru, May 23: Domestic flight services will resume from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) from May 25 as per the instructions of Union Civil Aviation Ministry. Six Indigo and SpiceJet flights will be operated from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai.

Air-India is yet to finalise its schedule, airport sources said. Three Indigo flights will depart from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai and three flights of SpiceJet will leave for Bengaluru and Mumbai on May 25.

SpiceJet flight will take off from Bengaluru to Mangaluru at 8.30 am and7 pm while Indigo will take off from Mangaluru to Bengaluru at 5.55 pm. SpiceJet flight will take off from Mangaluru at 10.20 am and 9.35 pm while Indigo will depart at 7.30 pm.

From Mumbai, Spice Jet flight will take off at 7.05 am and Indigo at 9.30 am. The Mangaluru-Mumbai SpiceJet flight will take off at 9.05 am and Indigo at 11.40 am. Indigo flight will depart from Chennai to Mangaluru at 5.45 pm and from Mangaluru to Chennai at 8.05 am.