Kolkata: The proposed 72-hour strike by private bus operators has been suspended following assurances from the state government, bringing relief to daily commuters.
Initially scheduled from May 22 to 24, the strike has now been deferred until September.
The decision followed a high-level meeting on Wednesday morning at Lalbazar between leaders of the bus operators and senior government officials, including Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma and Transport secretary Soumitra Mohan.
The breakthrough came after Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty’s late-night intervention on Tuesday.
“The minister called me around 10 pm on Tuesday and invited us to a meeting the next morning. Several of our demands were positively considered,” said Pradip Narayan Basu, general secretary of the West Bengal Bus and Minibus Owners’ Association.
The strike had been called by the Besarkari Yatri Paribahan Banchao Committee, a joint platform of five major bus operators’ associations, over a five-point charter of demands.
These included a fare hike, a two-year extension for 15-year-old buses, prevention of alleged police harassment and concerns over mandatory adoption of the unified e-challan system—Sanjog portal.
“We’ve always believed strikes don’t solve problems,” said the minister. “There have been multiple rounds of talks with the associations involving police administration, and many of their concerns are already being addressed. I spoke with the Director General of Police last night, which led to today’s meeting with the police and strike organisers, where we were able to assure them that the government stands with them,” he added.
On the scrapping of 15-year-old buses, Chakraborty clarified that while the National Green Tribunal (NGT) mandates it, the state government has argued in court that vehicle fitness should be based on condition, not age. He also acknowledged concerns over traffic fines. “In Kolkata, traffic is monitored via electronic surveillance. The state has introduced a speed management policy to ensure road safety and urged compliance to ensure safer roads to reduce accidents. We are also reviewing past cases to see how relief can be provided,” he added. Regarding the Sanjog portal, the government clarified that cases registered before May 31 will not be included. The system will remain in a trial phase for three months. “If operators remain dissatisfied, we’ll revisit the matter,” the minister assured. Monthly meetings between police and bus associations across the state have also been proposed to address issues through regular dialogue.