Kolkata: The state Transport department has relaxed its bus replacement norms, allowing operators to replace existing stage and special stage carriages with vehicles of different seating capacities than the existing ones.
The move was formalised through a notification issued on July 24, signed by Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan. Under the new rules, minibus operators may now introduce slightly larger vehicles on certain routes. While operators on routes currently using 55-seater buses will be allowed to deploy smaller vehicles.
Permit-issuing authorities, including the State Transport Authority (STA) and all Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs), have been directed to allow such replacements within a defined framework.
Where the seating capacity of the entire fleet is altered, the proposed seating capacity shall not be less than 22 or be more than 55. Buses with fewer than 30 seats will now operate under a ‘Special Stage Carriage’ permit, while those exceeding 30 seats will be classified as ‘ Stage Carriages’.
Operators opting for lower seating capacities must proportionally increase the number of buses to maintain overall capacity. All replacement vehicles must have a minimum standing clearance of six feet. Additionally, the opinion of the relevant police authority must be obtained from a traffic standpoint before implementation. In cases where the seating capacity of individual vehicles is changed, a variation of up to 30 per cent in seating capacity and up to 10 per cent in wheelbase length will be permitted, provided at least 50 per cent of operators on the same route apply for it. Taxes will be calculated based on the permit type and seating capacity.
The relaxed norms come amid dwindling ridership on routes and increased passenger flow on others. The added flexibility is expected to encourage operators to deploy new buses on low-density or vacant routes and adjust their fleets to suit narrow, congested roads.
“The new flexibility will allow operators to adapt fleets to demand,” said Rahul Chatterjee, general secretary of the All Bengal Bus Minibus Samannay Samity. “This will certainly help increase the number of operational buses on the roads.”