Locals in Wayanad’s highland villages are struggling after the KSRTC night bus running between Kalpetta, Meppadi, and Chooralmala—active for over 40 years—was abruptly suspended two weeks ago. The 8:20 pm departure from Kalpetta, which reached Chooralmala by 9:30 pm, was the only reliable late-night public transport in the region.

The suspension is reportedly due to a lack of overnight accommodation for the driver and conductor. Until recently, KSRTC staff stayed in a room adjoining a mosque in Chooralmala, but were asked to vacate. Though a replacement room was offered at Soochippara Elavayal, the staff cited its distance—over a kilometre from the main road—and impractical access as major concerns.

Currently, there are no KSRTC services to Chooralmala post 6:10 pm. The only option is a private 8:00 pm Meppadi–Chooralmala bus, which is unreliable. On days it doesn’t run, passengers—especially women and children—are forced to wait for hours or pay exorbitant taxi fares, assuming a cab is even available.

The crisis is felt most by residents of Chooralmala, Puthumala, Neelikkappu, and nearby areas. Plantation workers, hospital returnees from Kozhikode, traders, and shop staff now find themselves stranded in Meppadi with no viable way home.

Taxi drivers have also become hesitant after the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide, worsening the isolation of these hilly hamlets. KSRTC has stated that service may resume if appropriate accommodation is arranged in Chooralmala town.

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