Punalur: A snack centre operated inside a condemned bus at the Punalur KSRTC depot was dismantled on Friday, following a directive from Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, acting on a request from municipal authorities. The KSRTC Employees’ Cooperative Society, which managed the eatery, has announced plans to approach the court, alleging that the demolition was carried out without proper notice or legal grounds. Minister Ganesh Kumar had visited the depot on September 28 for the inauguration of new services.

The Society claims the demolition was conducted without providing alternative arrangements, prompting it to initiate legal action.

The snack centre had been operational for the past three years and was shut down by municipal authorities on July 1, citing the absence of a valid licence. The closure followed public protests over a series of accidents reported near the depot three months earlier. While the municipality had assured the Society that a licence would soon be granted for operating a canteen, no progress was made, despite the submission of all necessary documents.

The shutdown led to a significant loss of rental revenue for KSRTC—estimated at ₹48,000 per month—and left 14 canteen workers unemployed. Although the municipality suggested relocating the facility to a vacant area within the depot premises, the Society rejected the proposal, calling it impractical and unfeasible.

Allegations have since emerged that similar bus-based eateries continue to operate in several depots across the state, with only the Punalur municipality raising objections. The now-dismantled eatery had been established in full compliance with KSRTC regulations to help boost revenue for the transport corporation.