Kolkata's Public Transport System in Turmoil as Hundreds of Buses Grounded
The public transport network in Kolkata and its adjoining areas is facing a severe crisis, with nearly 400 government buses being grounded due to lapsed fitness certificates. This administrative failure has exacerbated existing strains, including a fuel shortage and rising auto LPG prices, pushing commuters towards more expensive options like app cabs and bike taxis.
Administrative Lapse Uncovered After Accident Review
The roots of this crisis trace back to a startling administrative oversight. Following a bus accident in Topsia on January 13, a review was ordered, revealing that 397 government buses had been operating for years—some for up to a decade—without valid fitness certificates. Over the past two months, all these buses have been withdrawn from service, and transport department officials indicate that more such vehicles have been identified and will soon be taken off the roads.
A transport department official explained, "With the available fleet drastically reduced, we are having a trying time running services on various routes. The demand-supply gap is widening by the day. There is a fuel crisis as well. As depots are not getting adequate fuel because of unpaid bills, a problem that crops up every now and then, even functional buses are not rolling out."
Severe Service Disruptions and Commuter Struggles
The situation has deteriorated to the point where services have ceased on several popular routes or been reduced to just one or two buses per day. Private bus operators have also cut services, citing operational constraints and dwindling returns, often choosing to operate only during rush hours. This combined shortfall leaves commuters waiting at bus stops for prolonged periods.
Aniket Banerjee, general secretary of Kolkata Bus-O-Pedia, highlighted the severity, noting that the crisis is particularly acute at government bus depots in Taratala, Thakurpukur, and Paikpara, where very few fuel tankers have arrived in the past two weeks. He stated, "Services have been affected on popular routes such as S-45, 3A, S4, and 12D." Routes connecting Howrah and north Kolkata to Ballygunge and Patuli, like S-24 and S10A, have also been hit hard.
Passenger groups report that services collapse on many routes after 6 pm. For instance, the S-45 (Shakuntala Park-Kolkata Station) commuters' union mentioned only one bus plies in the evening. On busy routes such as C11 and T2, only one or two buses operate daily, while route C26 (Baruipur-Howrah) has seen evening services drop from six to two or three buses.
Sudip Samanta, a resident of Amtala in South 24 Parganas, shared his experience: "I was a regular passenger on AC-52 from Howrah to Amtala. Now, only one CNG bus runs on the route after 6.30 pm."
Operational Challenges and Financial Strain
Depot managers report that drivers and conductors are reporting for duty as usual, but often there are no buses to operate. A government bus driver added, "Even electric buses are developing snags as the batteries are becoming outdated. Servicing, which should be done every 1,000 km, is irregular. Some new CNG buses, too, are developing problems."
Officials estimate that regularising the entire fleet of unfit buses would cost several crores of rupees, placing further strain on the funds-starved state transport corporation. Since the penalty for operating a bus with a lapsed fitness certificate is Rs 50 per day, the cumulative fine for some buses has reached staggering amounts. The corporation plans to write to the transport department seeking a waiver of penalties while instructing depots to obtain fitness certificates from local RTOs immediately.
Until this issue is resolved, commuters across Kolkata may have to brace for prolonged transport disruptions, compounding the challenges posed by the ongoing fuel crisis and rising costs in the public transport sector.
