In a highly unusual incident on Monday, six Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses broke down at different locations across Beltangady taluk, causing severe traffic congestion and major inconvenience for passengers.
The first breakdown occurred near Guruvayankere Junction on the Mangaluru–Villupuram National Highway when a bus from the Mangaluru division stopped functioning, leading to a traffic jam stretching over a kilometre. Vehicles, including lorries and other buses, were diverted via Mescom Road, Hunisekatte, and Gerukatte to ease congestion.
Another bus travelling towards Puttur broke down on the Gerukatte–Mallottu road, leaving passengers stranded. Near Neerachilume, close to Pajiradka Cross, a bus from Dharmasthala to Chikkamagaluru suffered a blade cut, causing a tyre to detach and disrupting traffic.
By evening, a Dharmasthala–State Bank, Mangaluru bus broke down near Kashibettu, Layila, after a tyre burst, forcing passengers to wait for long hours. Additional breakdowns included a Mangaluru–Chikkamagaluru service near Varakabail and a Dharmasthala–Mangaluru bus at Kanyadi due to mechanical failure.
Monday being the weekly market day in Beltangady, the large influx of people intensified the inconvenience caused by the series of breakdowns.
Frequent bus failures along the Dharmasthala–Mangaluru route have become a recurring problem, raising concerns among passengers over safety and reliability. Locals have urged authorities and elected representatives to take immediate action to improve maintenance and ensure safe, uninterrupted travel for daily commuters.