Salt Lake: 44A route bus service resumes

Kolkata: Commuters using one of the oldest bus routes in Salt Lake have heaved a sigh of relief as full-fledged services resumed from Monday.

The 44A route, which connects Salt Lake Sector V with Howrah Station, had become irregular over the past two months after allegedly facing harassment from persons associated with parking operations at its stand on Street No. 9 near the CRPF camp in Sector V. According to operators, the disruption stemmed from difficulties in accessing the designated bus stand.

“The Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) has written to the Regional Transport Authority allowing the City Suburban Bus Service (CSBS) to park a maximum of four buses at the stand without paying any parking fees. We had urged NDITA to allow parking of eight buses, but four have been permitted. We are hopeful of extending proper services to commuters with this current arrangement,” said Tito Saha of CSBS.

In December, services on the route were suspended for three days. In January, operations again became irregular, causing inconvenience to around 20,000 weekday passengers who depend on the service daily.

CSBS had written to the Executive Officer of Nabadiganta, the Transport Minister and other senior officials, seeking a permanent solution to ensure the smooth functioning of the route. Around 30 buses operate on the 44A route.

The service has been operational for more than five decades and is among the oldest bus routes in Salt Lake. Initially, the route originated from Bikash Bhavan before being shifted to Salt Lake Sector V in 2004.

Operators alleged that individuals managing the parking area were encouraging small vehicles to occupy space in a manner that prevented buses from standing at the designated stand.

The 44A route passes through several key areas, including Karunamoyee, Ultadanga, Sealdah Station, College Street, MG Road and Burrabazar, before terminating at Howrah Station.