Phase-out won’t affect service, only 157 old buses to be scrapped: Transport Min
Kolkata: Allaying the public’s fears over the phasing out of 15-year-old buses in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) in August, state Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty assured that the number of such buses is only 157.
The Transport department has registered 1,375 buses in the last five years since 2019. Hence, the availability of buses won’t be an issue.
“A section of the media reported that 2,000 buses will be phased out in August. I want to assure the people of KMA that this number is only 157, so it will not affect daily commuting,” said Snehasis Chakraborty, state Transport minister. According to Transport department data, from 2009 to 2012, there were 502 registrations of buses. About 157 buses registered in 2009 will be phased out following the court’s direction to scrap 15-year-old vehicles to curb pollution.
According to information from the 13 RTOs and ARTOs in KMA, between 2019 and 2024 (to date), a total of 1,375 buses were registered. Alipore has witnessed the highest registration with 452 buses, followed by Barasat (442) and Kasba (174). In addition to buses, other transportation options such as app-based cabs and motorcycle taxis were introduced during this period.
The private bus operators under the ‘Gono Paribahan Bachao Committee’ have urged the department to push back the scrapping deadline by another two years, reasoning that several buses could not take to the road during the Covid period. On July 31, 2009, the Calcutta High Court directed the Transport Department to phase out vehicles that have attained 15 years.
“We are helpless in this regard as allowing relaxation will amount to a violation of the court order,” a Transport department official said. Sources said the department has advised the operators to appeal before the court, citing their difficulty. “If the court is convinced by the demand of the private bus operators and allows an extension, then only the deadline can be pushed back,” added the official.
