Private bus operators requested to provide special bus services
Kolkata: Private bus operators have been requested to provide special bus services to and from Boimela Prangan in Salt Lake Sector-V for the 47th International Book Fair, which is going to be held from January 18 to January 31.
The organisers are expecting an increased number of people visiting the book fair this year, since six days of the fair are falling on holidays. Accordingly, arrangements have been made by each department to ensure the visitors do not face any problem during the fair days.
The Regional Transport Authority, Kolkata, had sent a letter to private bus operators’ associations requesting them to arrange shuttle bus service from Bidhannagar Railway Station to the book fair venue. They were also requested to increase the number of trips in the concerned routes from different corners of the city especially from Esplanade, Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata (South) to the venue between 12 pm to 10 pm for the fair.
According to a bus operator, like last year they will ensure that enough buses are operational in the mentioned route during holidays. The usual route buses will be plied to full strength, the bus operator said. Like the Transport department, they too will ensure that book fair visitors do not face any transport-related problem.
Like last year, additional bus services will be plied by the Transport department. At least 200 additional buses will be plied to different locations, including Sealdah and Howrah Railway Station, Thakurpukur, Baruipur, Barasat, Dankuni, Belgachia, Jadavpur and Barrackpore among others. The Transport minister said that since six days of the fair falls on holidays, they are expecting more crowds this year. Last year, 26 lakh people visited the book fair.
Furthermore, buses will remain available till 10 pm to ensure that staff and people associated with the fair are able to return home safely. The timing for the book fair is
12 pm to 8 pm. There will
also remain some reserved buses, like last year, for emergency situations.
