People in dire straits over crippled bus, train services in North Bengal

Kolkata/Darjeeling: A large number of people from various parts of North 24-Parganas bound for North Bengal have been seriously inconvenienced, as long-distance bus services along NH 34 has been suspended following agitation in various parts of North Bengal.

All the private agencies who ply their buses to North Bengal along NH 34 have already decided not to run the vehicles, possibly apprehending the damage that might be caused due to the agitation by some people in various districts including Murshidabad, Malda and North Dinajpur, where the maximum number of incidents has been reported in the last couple of days.

"After train services were disrupted, we bought a ticket to travel to North Bengal in a private bus but the agencies are now saying that no buses would ply to North Bengal. We have been forced to cancel our tickets. We are now being advised to take a government bus from Dharmatala. It is difficult for us to go to Dharmatala with our baggages. We have also heard that some of the buses, which are still being run by the state Transport department, are all overcrowded," said Mrinal Das, a resident of Barasat's Nabapally area.

Meanwhile, the cancellation of long distance trains has cast a long shadow on the tourism industry of the Hill region.

State Tourism minister Gautam Deb has come to the rescue of the stranded tourists. He has visited the New Jalpaigiri Railway station and assured the tourists of all help.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has given instructions that stranded tourists and passengers should not face any problems. We are working accordingly," said Deb.

On Monday and Tuesday morning, Trinamool workers arranged for buses to ferry stranded tourists to Kolkata. Deb had personally approached the North Bengal State Transport Corporation for buses. Three NBSTC buses subsequently departed for Kolkata on Tuesday evening, carrying stranded tourists.