Balurghat Motor Owners Association threatens to halt all private bus services

BALURGHAT: The Balurghat Motor Owners Association (BMOA) halted short distance buses (pocket routes) from Monday evening and threatened to stop all private bus services in South Dinajpur district in future as a mark of protest against the illegal operation of totos in bus routes.

While addressing mediapersons, Mahabir Saraogi, on behalf of the BMOA, said: “We have already given a deputation to the South Dinajpur Regional Transport Office (RTO). Totos and other private vehicles, including autos and magic vans are operating short distances, illegally carrying passengers. As a result, the passengers are not availing bus services. In case of long distances, we are facing problems from government buses as they are not plying as per their regular time schedules.”

Saraogi further alleged that the RTO of the district has failed to control the movement of totos. “In addition to the pocket route, totos are running unchecked on the bus routes. As a result, the bus routes have become accident-prone and simultaneously the bus owners are facing financial losses. We are already facing huge financial loss due to various reasons, including increase in oil price and non-increase in fares and now, due to this reason, the bus owners stopped bus services on short distance routes from Monday. If the problem is not resolved, we will be forced to stop the bus services covering all routes of the district in the future,” Sarogi added. Speaking to the Millennium Post, Soumitra Biswas, RTO said: “We will soon start raids against totos plying on the bus routes. We have already spoken to the District Magistrate, South Dinajpur regarding the matter. Anyone found guilty will be penalised.”

According to an official source, there are about 3,800 registered totos plying in South Dinajpur. There are complaints of totos plying on National Highway (NH) 512 as well.