Transport Directorate focuses on strengthening ‘Sick’ bus routes

Kolkata: The state Transport Directorate held a meeting on Wednesday with various bus owners’ associations to tackle the issue of bus routes in Kolkata and its surrounding areas that are not operating at their full capacity.

This initiative follows concerns raised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a recent administrative review meeting at Nabanna, where she highlighted the ongoing shortage of buses. The CM pointed out that passengers often had to wait for long periods on the roads.

In response, the Transport Directorate has focused on strengthening ‘sick’ bus routes, which are currently operating below their potential. Officials revealed that around 30-40 such routes had been identified. During the meeting, which was attended by director of the Transport Directorate Ikhlaque Islam, representatives from various bus associations were asked for suggestions on how to improve these routes. Proposals discussed included altering alignments, extending routes, or introducing diversions.

Titu Saha, General Secretary of City Suburban Bus Services, identified several factors contributing to the issue, including the post-pandemic shift towards private transportation and financial pressures on bus operators. “The increased fines by police, sometimes as high as Rs. 1,000 per day, have discouraged operators from introducing new buses to replace outdated ones. This needs to change,” Saha said. He also noted that concerns over bus fares and staffing shortages were exacerbating the situation.

Pradip Narayan Basu, general secretary of the West Bengal Bus and Minibus Owners Association, echoed these sentiments, emphasising that low number of passengers on certain routes were a major factor in their decline. He stated, “If there aren’t enough passengers, routes will inevitably become sick. Officials have requested suggestions to strengthen these routes. We have also emphasised the importance of avoiding route overlaps.”