Private bus operators to observe 72-hour strike from May 22 as talks with govt fail

Kolkata: Private bus operators in the state have confirmed they will proceed with their planned 72-hour strike from Thursday to Saturday (May 22–24), following a series of inconclusive meetings with government officials.

The strike has been called by the Besarkari Yatri Paribahan Banchao Committee, a coalition of five major private bus operators’ associations: the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, Bengal Bus Syndicate, West Bengal Bus Minibus Owners’ Association, Minibus Operators Coordination Committee and the Inter & Intara Region Bus Association. The Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators’ Association and the West Bengal Contract Carriage Owners and Operators’ Association, have extended their support. The committee had earlier warned of a statewide bus strike if a meeting with either the Chief Minister or the Director General of Police, Rajeev Kumar, did not take place by May 20. Their five-point demand includes a two-year extension for buses that have crossed the 15-year age limit, a revision of passenger fares and measures to prevent alleged police harassment, particularly on national highways.

Three rounds of discussions were held in recent days — two in-person meetings on Monday and a virtual meeting on Tuesday — with no resolution reached. Monday’s meetings included one at the Transport department’s Kasba office and a subsequent session with Transport secretary Saumitra Mohan. However, the absence of traffic police officials in the initial meeting and the lack of concrete assurances in the later discussions, left operators dissatisfied. Tuesday’s virtual meeting was attended by Kolkata joint commissioner of police (Traffic) Rupesh Kumar, along with Deputy Commissioners (Traffic) from Bidhannagar and Howrah and again, Transport secretary Saumitra Mohan. The outcome again failed to address the operators’ concerns. “There was no constructive outcome and we are not satisfied,” said Pradip Narayan Basu, general secretary of the West Bengal Bus and Minibus Owners’ Association. “As things stand, the strike will go ahead from Thursday.

If the issues remain unresolved after the 72-hour strike, we may have to consider a more extensive agitation.” He added that the operators are seeking direct intervention from the Chief Minister.

The strike is expected to cause widespread disruption to public transport services across the state, particularly impacting daily commuters in Kolkata and surrounding regions.