BODI: Bus services between Tamil Nadu and Kerala along Cumbum-Bodi route resumed on Tuesday even as Kerala government buses crossed the border and reached Cumbum and Bodi.Bus traffic connecting Bodi area and Kerala remained suspended since December 5, following protests on both sides regarding Mullaiperiyar row.Meanwhile, buses started operating from Bodi up to Kerala border village of BodiMettu, in the interest of students, for the past one week. An all-party meeting was convened on Monday night at the office of the R Srinivasaperumal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Bodi, to discuss re-establishment of inter-state bus services.It was decided at the meeting to operate government and private buses from Bodi to Munnar area of Kerala from Tuesday morning. Similarly, it was decided to operate buses and jeeps to Kerala from Tuesday afternoon.Representatives of all political parties, including AIADMK, DMK, BJP, CPI and CPM, attended the meeting. Bus services resumed on Tuesday as per the decision of all party meeting.A reception meeting was conducted at the Bodi Municipal office when the first bus arrived. Representatives of political parties and traders’ body participated in the reception. Normalcy returned to the area as bus traffic resumed.Meanwhile, the meeting of political parties from both the states scheduled to be held on Tuesday at Bodimettu was cancelled. Bus service from Kerala to Cumbum resumed on Tuesday, after a gap of 29 days. A bus from Vandiperiyar of Idukki district reached Cumbum bus stand at around 10 a.m.Journalists from Kerala and members of traders association were given a warm reception at Cumbum bus stand. Police escort was provided for the bus from the border area to Cumbum.Meanwhile, after a hiatus of one week, buses were operated from lower camp area to the Tamil Nadu border at Kumuli.However there were no bus service to Kerala via Kumuli even as cars, autorickshaws and mini lorries from Tamil Nadu started plying.There was corresponding traffic from Kerala also. As normalcy returned, vehicles carrying Ayyappa devotees also started plying through Theni district. Farmers of Cumbum valley have started visiting their cardamom fields in Idukki district.A large number of Keralites, plantation workers and hoteliers converged in the Cumbum weekly shandy and farmers market to purchase vegetables. Police started collecting registration numbers of vehicles crossing the state border and mobile phone numbers of drivers as a precautionary measure.
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