Bus depot-in-charges, conductors to be shifted every 6 months

The state Transport department has decided to transfer depot-in-charges and bus conductors every six months to check revenue leakages.

It has come to the notice of the Transport department that a nexus between depot-in-charges and bus conductors are one of the main reasons behind revenue losses. Moreover, despite smart cards for passengers to travel in buses run by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) being introduced a few months ago, till date, only a few hundred passengers have availed the same when six lakh people travel in WBTC-run buses daily. It is considered that a section of staff is responsible for running the buses and conductors have vested interest in not allowing maximum use of smart cards that will enable people to go cashless.

Suvendu Adhikari, the state Transport minister said: "It has been decided to transfer depot-in-charges and conductors after their tenure of six months in one particular depot. The decision has been taken to ensure a check in revenue leakage."

Adhikari held a meeting with the in-charges of all depots and terminal managers under WBTC at Belgharia depot on Monday evening. The minister will also be holding meetings with depot-in-charges under South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) in Durgapur and North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) in Durgapur on June 6 and 9.

In the meeting, the minister also directed all depot-in-charges and terminal managers to take necessary steps to ensure that buses of the transport corporation have minimum defects and is repaired before they are taken out on the streets.

At the same time, they have been asked to keep the depots clean and to take steps to ensure that passengers suffering from certain ailments, elderly people and women are not deprived of their rights while travelling in buses.

The minister will be giving similar messages to the officials of SBSTC and NBSTC during the meetings with them.

Adhikari has also assured that trams will continue to operate in the city. But it will be done keeping in mind the financial viability of operating trams on one particular route and it will also be seen that there is no traffic congestion for the same.