'Strict action against buses plying with over 50% capacity'

Kolkata: State Transport minister Firhad Hakim threatened to take strong action against buses running jam-packed flouting Covid restrictions and plying with over 50 per cent capacity.

"If a passenger while travelling in a bus feels that it has taken more commuters than 50 per cent of its capacity which poses a risk of the spread of COVID-19, then he/she after alighting from the bus can lodge a complaint with the police station with a copy of the ticket of that particular bus. The police will take action under the pandemic act," Hakim said while responding to a query on buses flouting norms of ferrying passengers with 50 per cent capacity.'

He claimed that enough private and government vehicles are running in the city for the commuters. So, there is no need of cramming inside a particular bus.

A few days back, Hakim had stated that if a passenger feels that a particular bus has charged enhanced fare he/she should lodge a complaint at the police station with a photocopy of the bus ticket. He assured of action on the part of the police.

There have been complaints that buses have been charging more than the earmarked fare citing high price of petrol/diesel. They have demanded revision of the fare structure which is under consideration of the government but in the current juncture extra fares cannot be charged from the passengers.