State transport department chalks out plan to rationalise routes

The state transport department has chalked out an elaborate plan to rationalise routes with a view to give better facilities to commuters.

The RITES has been assigned to do the study and the World Bank has funded the project, Alapan Bandopadhyay, principal secretary Transport department said.

The RITES will find out the exact number of vehicles belonging to the state government, private and mini buses and the routes covered by them. They will also chalk out the the areas covered by the auto rickshaws and the current picture of river transport. The RITES will take four months to submit a report on the situation and later, a detailed report on what should be done will be submitted to the state government, Bandopadhyay added.

He also said that the route rationalisation had become necessary because of the Metro network that would come up in the city soon. It should also be noted that the Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had said in the Bengal Global Business Summit on January 8 that the East West Metro would be completed within two to two and a half years. Once completed, the Metro network will spread over 127.77 km connecting the North and South 24 Parganas with the city and Howrah.  These routes are Noapara to Dakshineshwar, Joka BBD Bag, Baranagore- Barrackpore, Noapara to Airport to Barasat and Kavi  Subhas to Airport. 

Naturally, the public and transport who will take the Metro network will have to be made familiar with the routes.  Now, many people who want to go to Garia from Salt Lake take an auto to reach Girish Park Metro station to reach the destination.