In a bid to popularise the use of smart cards to pay fare in state-run buses, there will be a massive campaign through the newly-launched audio communication system under "Surodhara" project in air-conditioned buses of the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC).
Suvendu Adhikari, the state Transport minister, launched the "Surodhara" project on Monday. Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Principal Secretary of the state Transport department, was also present in the event.
Under the project, there will announcements in air-conditioned buses alerting people about the next stop. At the same time, pleasant music maintaining the tradition of Bengal and facts about different projects of the state government including Kanyashree will be played in the air-conditioned buses under the project. The responsibility to implement the project and to continue its functioning was given to a private company through open bidding process. The company will also be playing advertisements of private companies and will be giving Rs 60 lakh to WBTC every year. Initially, the audio-communication system will be made available in 323 buses and it will be played from 6 am to 11 pm. Later, it will be introduced in more number of buses. Adhikari said: "This is the first time ever in the country's history when such an initiative has been taken up. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has named the project through which campaigns on different government projects like Kanyashree will also take place."
"There will also be announcements in the air-conditioned buses to popularise the use of smart cards," he said.
It may be recalled that the state Transport department had introduced smart cards so that commuters can travel in state-run buses using it and they do not need to buy tickets every day. The initiative was taken up keeping in mind the convenience of commuters and secondly to check "leakage" in revue collection.
The Transport minister further said that the Chief Minister had launched a statewide "Save Drive Safe Life" campaign on July 8, 2016. It will also be played in the buses and at the same time another slogan - "Slow Drive Save Life" - the Chief Minister had coined during East Midnapore's administrative review meeting will also be played.
Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Principal Secretary of the department, said that such initiatives will make journey in public transports like buses more attractive and it is a part of the transformation in the transport arrangement as it will encourage people to use public transports and to depend less on private vehicles.