Kottayam (Kerala): The Tamil Nadu State Express Transport Corporation has started new bus services from Vaikom to Chennai and Velankanni.

The services were officially launched at a ceremony at the Vaikom KSRTC bus stand by Kerala Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar and his Tamil Nadu counterpart S S Sivasankar.

The bus services from Vaikom were launched weeks after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated the Thanthai Periyar Memorial and Periyar Library, established in honour of Dravidar Kazhagam founder E V Ramasamy, in Vaikom, here. Minister Ganesh Kumar expressed his happiness about Tamil Nadu's decision to run buses to Vaikom.

He said that the Tenkasi–Aryankavu bus service, which will begin on Thursday, will greatly benefit Kerala passengers.

Kumar said that private buses would not be allowed to hire drivers without police clearance certificates.

A system will also be introduced where driving licenses will get a "black mark" for violations, and a license will be canceled if it receives six black marks within a year.

Tamil Nadu Transport Minister Sivasankar said the bus service to Vaikom holds historical importance.

Agencies