Citing losses, over 70 tenants close business at KSRTC bus stands

Mysore/Mysuru: Citing losses due to COVID-induced lockdown and lack of business even after lockdown rules were relaxed, all the shops, bakeries, hotels and other outlets in KSRTC Bus Stands across the District have temporarily closed business from today. Notices have been pasted on shop’s shutters informing the customers about the decision. 

There are over 32 commercial establishments in the Mysuru Sub-Urban Bus Stand and in the City Bus Stand complex. In all, there are over 70 shops in the bus stands at Hunsur, Nanjangud, T. Narasipur, H.D. Kote Periyapatna and K.R. Nagar     including Mysuru. 

These outlets selling snacks, water, food, mobile phones, bakery items and fruits have been rented out by KSRTC and the Corporation gets handsome revenues as rent. Due to lockdown, these shops were shut for nearly three months and even after the transport sector opened up, the desired crowd did not come to these outlets as people were scared to travel. 

Even in the buses too, there were minimum people travelling. As a gesture, the KSRTC had waived off rent in total for businesses operating from its bus stand complexes and other commercial buildings for a period of more than two months (Mar. 22 to May 31).  

Now the tenants are saying that they cannot even pay 20 percent of the rent as there were no customers even after two months of opening business.

“There are hardly 10 to 15 customers per three days and whoever comes, buys only mineral water bottles. All the other eatables go stale every day and we are not in a position to pay even 20 percent of rent. Forget rent, we are not able to support our families too,” said Ramesh, who operates a bakery in the Sub-Urban Bus Stand. 

Hotels and tea stalls operating from the bus stands too have faced losses.

Though there is 100 percent operation of buses except Sunday, customers do not stop at these outlets unlike before as they prefer to go homes to eat and drink.

“Today, the State KSRTC Bus Stand Shop Owners’ Association is meeting Transport Minister urging him to waive off rents till the pandemic is over and normal life is restored. We will take a call after the outcome of the meeting is known,” said a representative from the Mysuru KSRTC Bus Stand Shop Owners’ Association.