Most buses remain off the roads in Bengal despite easing of Covid-19 curbs

The government allowed government and private buses to ply from July 1 with 50% of the seating capacity as private and government offices, shops and markets began reopening

West Bengal eased Covid-19 restrictions by allowing public transportation services from July 1, but over 95% of the private buses have remained off the roads amid demands for an increase in fares, transporters said. Transporters associations have demanded the increase saying it is needed to cope up with the losses because of the rising fuel prices. But the state government has asked them to first begin their operations before the demand is considered.

Representational Image. (File photo)

“There are around 42,000 private buses in West Bengal. Around 7,000 of them ply in and around Kolkata. Only 3%-5% are plying despite the government relaxing Covid-19 restrictions because of the huge losses the bus owners are suffering,” said Tapan Banerjee, general secretary, Joint Council of Bus Syndicates.

The government allowed government and private buses to ply from July 1 with 50% of the seating capacity as private and government offices, shops and markets began reopening.

“We have not asked any bus owner not to operate the buses neither can we force anyone to hit the roads. Bus owners are suffering heavy losses as the state government has not increased the fares. The fares were hiked for the last time in September 2018,” said Subrata Ghosh, honorary secretary of Bengal Bus Syndicate, one of the major bus owners’ associations in Kolkata.

Bus owners said that fuel prices and costs of other items including spare parts have shot up several times.

On Tuesday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to slash the taxes on fuel. She said fuel prices have been increased at least eight times since five assembly election results were declared on May 2. In June, fuel prices were increased six times.

State transport minister Firhad Hakim, who met bus owners on Monday, said they have requested the associations to operate the buses. “The committee on fares has sent some recommendations to us. The government would consider them. But first, they (bus owners) need to hit the roads. People are facing a lot of harassment.”