AIDS, cancer patients to get free travel facility in STC bus

Kolkata, Mar 27 (UNI) In a compassionate gesture, the West Bengal government today extended free travel facility to AIDS and cancer patients in State Transport Corporation (STC) buses.

State Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty informed the Assembly that the facility to such patients would be available from April 14 (Bengali New Year).

'' My department has been receiving various representations from different quarters for extending free travel facility to AIDS and cancer patients and its' a New Year gift to them,'' Mr Chakraborty observed.

The facility would be available to such patients, travelling alone or with an escort in STC buses for treatment on production of necessary medical certificate, he said.

Mr Bhattacharjee reminded that his department had earlier allowed free travel facilities to physically challenged persons of certain categories in STC buses.

He said the private bus operators were also requested to extend the facility to such physically challenged persons which were being complied with by most of the operators.

The Transport department had also amended West Bengal Motor Vehicles rules to specify mandatory reservation of two seats in every bus for such physically challenged persons, he maintained.

UNI ADG KK KLC1611