In a move to streamline the city's notorious office-hour traffic, the Kolkata Traffic Police has officially designated specific routes for popular app-based shuttle bus services. These services, a lifeline for hundreds of daily commuters to the IT hubs of New Town and Sector V, will now have to follow a new set of rules, including a continued ban on using the Maa Flyover during peak hours.
New Route Map for Commuter Shuttles
Police officials explained the new route allocations to end the prevailing "confusion" over which roads these shuttles can use. The decision particularly addresses the issue of these vehicles not using the AJC Bose Road Flyover and the Maa Flyover.
For the smaller mini-buses, which seat up to 26 passengers and operate with maxi-cab registrations, the permitted route from Howrah and Behala includes AJC Bose Road. These vehicles, which have increasingly been using Shakespeare Sarani, can then proceed via the Park Circus Connector. However, this is a need-based arrangement. "While there is no restriction for maxi-cabs on Shakespeare Sarani, there are restrictions for buses. When traffic becomes too heavy, we divert them via AJC Bose Road," an officer stated.
Strict Ban on Maa Flyover During Peak Hours
In a significant clarification, the police have firmly rejected requests from aggregators and transporters to allow these shuttles on the Maa Flyover. During office hours, no mini-buses, including the app-based shuttles ferrying people to the IT sector from areas like Howrah, Behala, and Joka, will be permitted on the flyover. This rule also applies during non-peak hours if traffic congestion causes vehicles to slow down on Maa.
Instead, these buses have been directed to use the Park Circus Connector and then access the AJC Bose Road flyover from Park Circus. For larger buses coming from Behala, the Gariahat-Kasba alignment is mandatory. All buses originating from Garia and Jadavpur can use either the Ajoynagar link or the Patuli Bypass link.
Commute Time Increase and Police Stance
The police decision comes despite multiple appeals from both service aggregators and passengers. The primary grievance is that avoiding the Maa Flyover adds a substantial 30 to 45 minutes to the daily travel time for many commuters.
However, authorities have stood their ground. "We have shown them the state notification on buses and reverted saying this cannot be allowed," an officer explained. This policy impacts around 400 shuttle vehicles that serve as crucial transport for hundreds of professionals commuting from Joka, Thakurpukur, Greenfield City, Behala, Tollygunge, Jadavpur, and Garia.
The new route mandate is aimed at creating a more organized traffic flow during the busiest hours, even if it extends travel time for a significant section of the city's workforce.
