Owners hesitant to run pvt buses fearing losses

KOLKATA: Despite the state government allowing the operation of buses with 50 per cent seating capacity in the state, private bus operators are reluctant to run their buses from Thursday fearing losses.

The private bus operators claimed that the money earned by selling tickets will not even cover the diesel and maintenance cost if they run their vehicles abiding by the Covid safety restrictions.

"Government buses get subsidies. Private bus owners don't get subsidies to run their vehicles," said Tapan Banerjee, general secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate. He reiterated that private bus operators have earlier written letters to state Transport minister Firhad Hakim and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requesting hike in bus fare. A committee has also been formed to make a balanced and cost-effective fare chart of the private bus operators. The report of the committee is yet to be out.

There are 42,000 buses and 6,000 mini buses in the state. At least 50 to 60 litres of diesel is required to run a bus on a particular route. The seating capacity of a private bus is 39 and mini bus is 27. The minimum fare of a private bus is Rs 7 (0-4 kilometre). The minimum fare of a mini bus is Rs 8 (0-3 kilometre).

"It is unpredictable how many buses will ply in the state from July 1 because most of the private bus owners don't have money to buy diesel, which now stands at Rs 92.03 per litre," pointed out Banerjee.