Kolkata: A new private air-conditioned (AC) bus service was officially launched on Monday, connecting Sheoraphuli in Hooghly district to Salt Lake Sector V, offering a smoother and more comfortable commute for daily passengers, particularly those working in the IT hubs of New Town and Sector V.
The service starts from near Sushama Cinema Hall in Sheoraphuli and terminates at Karunamoyee in Salt Lake. It covers several key locations along the route, including Serampore, Rishra, Konnagar, Uttarpara, Ballykhal, Dakshineswar, Dunlop, Belgharia Expressway, Airport, Chinar Park, Eco Park, Eco Space, New Town and Salt Lake Sector V, before reaching its final destination. Currently, five 40-seater AC buses are operational on the route. The first service departs from Sheoraphuli at 7 am, while the final return trip from Karunamoyee is scheduled for 8:50 pm. Buses are expected to run at regular intervals throughout the day.
Fares range from Rs 23 to approximately Rs 140, depending on the boarding and a lighting points.
The route is expected to offer a viable alternative to train travel, especially during peak hours, and is likely to address the long-standing issue of limited bus availability in Sector V during late evenings.
In a move to further improve connectivity between Hooghly and Salt Lake, five additional buses are also planned for Route 285 (Serampore–New Town) and Route 3 (Serampore–Sector V). At present, Route 285 operates with 15 buses, while Route 3 has one. With the addition of these buses and the newly introduced Sheoraphuli–Sector V AC route, the total number of buses serving the corridor is projected to rise to 26.
It was learnt that the new route was originally planned to commence from Serampore but was later extended to Sheoraphuli.