Now smart card for ferry services & govt buses

Kolkata: In a bid to curb the spread of COVID -19, commuters now prefer using smart cards for paying ferry and government bus fare.

"The cost of a smart card is Rs 150. The minimum recharge amount is Rs 100. The smart card can be used for paying government bus and ferry fare. The demand for smart cards is increasing," said an official at the smart card counter.

After an over two-month-long hiatus owing to the lockdown, the ferry services, operated by the West Bengal Transport Corporation and Hooghly Nadi Jalapath Paribahan Samabay Samiti (HNJPSS), resumed on June 1. The vessel services are running on 29 routes on river Hooghly.

The services start at 8 am and ends at 6 pm.

"Ferry passengers can pay via smart card at Howrah, Millennium Park and Fairlie Place. The fare is Rs 6 from Howrah to Millennium Park or Fairlie Place. Smart card payment facility is not available at different places," said an official at Fairlie

Place. The first water bus service from Chandannagar connecting Kolkata made its official debut on July 1, the vessels are operational five days a week from Monday to Friday.