West Bengal Bus Owners Request Chief Minister to Extend Scrapping Deadline for 15-Year-Old Buses

Bus owners in West Bengal have appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene with the state transport department. They seek a two-year extension for 15-year-old buses, rather than being forced to scrap them. Tapan Banerjee, Secretary of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, mentioned that the Calcutta High Court suggested discussions between operators and the government to address this issue humanely.

In October, bus owners operating on specific routes approached the high court. They requested a two-year extension for the 15-year age limit on buses. Without this extension, 90% of buses in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Hooghly will be off the roads by January 2025. This was highlighted by Tapan Banerjee.

Impact on Bus Fleet

The number of private buses and minibuses has significantly decreased since pre-Covid times. From around 9,000 vehicles before the pandemic, numbers fell to 3,000-3,500 in 2022. By August, only 600-700 remained after meeting the 15-year deadline. This decline has raised concerns among operators about the future availability of public transport.

Pradip Narayan Bose, spokesperson for the West Bengal Private Bus and Minibus Owners Association, expressed trust in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's pro-people stance. He is hopeful for a resolution to the ongoing crisis that affects many bus operators and commuters.

Legal Framework

A 2009 order from the Calcutta High Court mandates that commercial passenger vehicles over 15 years old cannot operate in the Kolkata Metropolitan region. This area includes Kolkata's core and its surrounding neighbourhoods, as well as Howrah. The enforcement of this rule has led to a drastic reduction in available buses.

The bus owners' plea highlights their struggle to maintain operations under current regulations. They are seeking a temporary reprieve to continue serving commuters while exploring long-term solutions with the government.

The situation underscores the challenges faced by public transport operators in balancing regulatory compliance with service continuity. The outcome of these discussions could significantly impact public transportation availability in West Bengal.