Cops keep eye on bus conductors to ensure correct fare for passengers

Kolkata: Police officials associated with the control room set up at Traffic Police Training School in Belgachia near Talla Bridge are visiting different bus stops to check whether conductors are

charging extra fare from passengers.

The control room has been set up to monitor the movement of vehicles on the diverted routes, after heavy vehicles were suspended from plying on Talla Bridge when its structural health was deemed as 'unfit'.

"A total of 10 technical and non-technical officials have been appointed to monitor the traffic movement. Our team members are visiting different bus stops to cross-check with the passengers whether the conductors are collecting fares as per the fare list prepared by the state Transport department," said an official of Traffic Police Training School in Belgachia.

600 buses used to ply on a daily basis on Talla Bridge. The bus owners are now claiming that they are facing huge losses after plying of buses and mini-buses were suspended on the bridge from September 25.

"We had a meeting with the state Transport department officials last week. The officials have figured out alternative routes for buses and they have assured us that the new bus route map will be provided to us soon," said Tapan Banerjee, general secretary of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicates.

He reiterated that buses from routes 34B (Dunlop-Esplanade), 34C (Noapara-Esplanade), 78 (Barrackpore-Esplanade), 201 (Nimta-Nicco Park), 214 (Sajirhat-Babughat), 222 (Bonhooghly-Behala Chowrasta), 32A (Dakshineswar-Sector V, Salt Lake), 202 (Nagerbazar-Science City) and S-185 (Nimta-Howrah mini-bus) have stopped plying.

It may be mentioned that on October 3, two new auto routes between Sinthi More and Shyambazar Bata and Chiria More and Shyambazar Bata were introduced in North Kolkata.

For the convenience of commuters, the state Transport department officials are also talking with Barrackpore Police to run shuttle car services for smooth transportation, especially during office hours.