State to procure 200 air-conditioned CNG buses

Kolkata: To improve public transport and reduce pollution, the state government will procure 200 air-conditioned (AC) CNG buses. The state Finance department has already sanctioned Rs 125 crore for the purchase of the new fleet, which will comprise midi, semi-deluxe and deluxe buses.

According to sources in the Transport department, the proposal for the purchase was submitted several months ago. With the government’s recent approval, officials are now keen to introduce these buses on the roads before Durga Puja.

The fleet will include 120 semi-deluxe buses, each 12 metres long and priced at Rs 65 lakh, 50 deluxe buses of the same length, equipped with push-back seats, at Rs 70.4 lakh each and 30 midi buses, measuring 9 metres, at Rs 42 lakh per unit. To ensure the smooth operation of these buses, the state Cabinet has also approved the recruitment of approximately 900 drivers and conductors, addressing a longstanding staff shortage that has affected bus services in the city.

State Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty conducted on-ground surveys in January across some of Kolkata’s busiest areas to assess commuter difficulties firsthand, following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s directive to improve public transport. Based on these findings, the transport department has identified key routes where the new buses are likely to be deployed, including Ultadanga–Airport, Ultadanga–Shapoorji, Ultadanga–Jadavpur, Dharmatala–Dum Dum, and Belgachia–Science City.