Alappuzha: In a dramatic twist reminiscent of a film script, passengers travelling on a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Superfast bus experienced an unexpected interruption in Cherthala, Alappuzha, after their vehicle received urgent instructions to return to Thiruvananthapuram for a court appearance.

The bus, heading to Coimbatore, had left Thiruvananthapuram and stopped near Mathilakam Hospital in Cherthala around 7 pm on Sunday for a scheduled dinner break. While the vehicle was parked outside a roadside eatery, the conductor received a message informing him that the bus was urgently required back in Thiruvananthapuram to be presented in court for an ongoing case.

A clever roadside solution

The sudden order left nearly 50 passengers stranded and anxious about their onward travel. However, transport staff managed an ingenious resolution right at the parking lot of the eatery. At that exact moment, another KSRTC bus travelling from Ernakulam to Thiruvananthapuram had also pulled into the same venue for dinner.

Taking advantage of the coincidence, the crew coordinated a complete swap. Passengers bound for Coimbatore were transferred to the northbound bus, while those travelling towards Thiruvananthapuram boarded the court-summoned vehicle. Following a brief 30-minute period of suspense, both buses resumed their journeys, but in opposite directions, bringing immense relief to the passengers.