Kolkata witnessed a severe disruption in public bus services on Tuesday as a steep hike in fuel prices led to a sudden reduction in the number of buses on the roads, leaving thousands of commuters stranded across the city. The crisis escalated as private bus operators renewed their demand for an immediate fare hike, arguing that running vehicles at a loss has become unsustainable. Despite assurances from oil companies regarding stable fuel supply, the city's transport backbone is showing signs of strain under mounting economic pressure.
Fuel Prices Surge Again
According to oil marketing companies (OMCs), this is the second time fuel prices have been raised in the last five days, coming shortly after the Prime Minister's public message on fuel conservation. In Kolkata, the price of petrol increased by 96 paise per litre, reaching Rs 109.70. Diesel also saw a sharp rise of 94 paise per litre, now costing Rs 96.08. This follows last Friday's hike, when petrol jumped by Rs 3.29 to Rs 108.74 and diesel surged by Rs 3.11 to Rs 95.13.
Impact on Public Transport
With nearly 90% of commercial vehicles—including buses, minibuses, and goods transport trucks—relying on diesel, the twin price hikes within a week have sent shockwaves through both the public transit and supply chain sectors. To minimize losses, private bus operators have started rationing their services, significantly widening the demand-supply gap. On shorter routes, operators have quietly reduced daily runs, making only three round trips instead of the usual four.
Tapan Bandyopadhyay, joint council of bus operators, expressed the operators' plight: "We are operating at a complete loss. With diesel at almost Rs 100 per litre, how do they expect us to survive without a fare hike? Cutting down trips is our only desperate measure to save fuel. If the government does not revise the fare structure immediately, more buses will permanently go off the roads."
Commuters Face Long Waits
The sudden shortage left major transit hubs like Esplanade, Howrah Station, and Ultadanga choked with desperate passengers waiting hours for a ride. Sunita Das, an IT professional commuting to Salt Lake, shared her ordeal: "I waited for over 45 minutes for my regular bus, and when one finally arrived, it was so dangerously packed that I couldn't even get near the footboard."
Oil Companies Assure Supply
IndianOil issued a statement on behalf of public sector OMCs, including BPCL and HPCL, assuring the public that despite global uncertainties impacting the oil and gas sector, fuel supplies remain entirely uninterrupted across West Bengal. The release stated that the oil industry is "fully geared to ensure seamless availability of fuels" through its network of terminals, depots, and retail outlets.
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