Commuters inconvenienced due to suspension of bus services in Sunderbans, Diamond Harbour

kolkata: Commuters were harassed after the bus operators association of the South 24-Parganas called for the suspension of bus services in Sunderbans and Diamond Harbour areas for three days, starting from Monday.

However, later on Monday, after the regional transport official intervened and promised to hold a discussion between stakeholders,

including local administration, police and bus operators within seven days, the strike was withdrawn.

The Joint Committee of Bus Operators’ Association South 24-Parganas had called the strike. They claimed that illegal vehicles, including autos and totos have been operating in the area which takes away short distance passengers of the buses in these routes.

According to the member of the association, around 225 buses operate in these routes and none of these buses plied on Monday. A passenger travelling from Majerhat to Bhabani Bhawan said that passengers in these routes were extremely harassed as they had to wait for more than half an hour for buses and most of them were overcrowded.

Buses plied from Diamond Harbour to Esplanade, come via Majerhat in most cases. “Usually we get buses in a five to ten minute interval but today we had to wait for more than half an hour for a bus. Even then the buses were extremely overcrowded,”

said the passenger.