The Hardest Hit In Kolkata Are The North-South Linkages On 46 Private Bus Lines That Stop Running Or Reduce Their Routes
Private buses are rapidly vanishing from the roads as they struggle to combat the dual problems of tougher pollution control standards and a low fare structure, with their numbers having fallen to practically half of those of pre-Covid days.
According to a study by the bus enthusiasts’ organization Kolkata bus-o-pedia, 46 private bus routes have either been canceled, operate with a smaller fleet, or cover a shorter distance.
The once-popular routes connecting north and south of Kolkata, like 3C/2 or 3D/1, are the hardest hit. Some of the other well-known routes that have discontinued service, according to Aniket Banerjee, general secretary of Kolkata bus-o-pedia, include 43/1, 241A, 213/1, 218/1, 18A/1, 206, and 204/1.
The remaining two routes linked Salt Lake and the north-to-south Kolkata. The 47/1, 235, and 252 are three routes that have reduced their distances. The bus union for Route 235 has contacted the RTA and stated that it no longer wants to operate all the way to Salt Lake City but instead wants to end at Rajabazar.
The worst affected city routes, according to Titu Saha, general secretary of City Suburban Bus Services, were the longer routes. In addition to the pandemic, the north-south roads suffered from the Majerhat bridge collapse and the Tala Bridge renovation. Several routes from the South 24 Parganas make just one or two runs during the day, including 83 from Falta, SD-16 from Shiracol, SD-8 from Bibirhat, and even SD-4 from Thakurpukur.
The operating cost per kilometer, according to bus proprietors, is currently Rs 39. Saha added “we need more fuel on longer routes. We require a fare change in light of the enormous fuel price. If the state is unable to guarantee such, at least it can permit route realignment. We need a policy where the ideal number of buses will travel along each such alignment every 10 to 20 kilometers. The government must provide us with funding so that we can replace our outdated buses with more costly BSVI cars.”
News Mania Desk
