KOLKATA: One in seven private buses now operating in the city will go off the roads in phases from mid-April, all of them commandeered for the movement of central forces that will arrive in the state to conduct the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.
Around 3,500 private buses ply in the city daily, of which 500-odd will be requisitioned to ferry the forces.The Election Commission has requisitioned 920 companies of CAPF for Bengal and 263 companies have already reached for the first phase on April 19. Bus owners say the number of buses being withdrawn will keep rising as we head towards the later phases.
By the time Kolkata votes on June 1, almost 75% of city routes would be affected, claimed Tapan Banerjee of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate. “Fortunately, schools will be closed in May for summer holidays,” he said.
Titu Saha of city suburban bus service said, “The shortage will be more pronounced since a large number of buses are getting phased out from this year after completing 15 years in service but have not been replaced in the city pool.”
EC officials said they were already facing difficulties in hiring buses since the available pool had shrunk compared to the past.
Daily commuters fear being left in the lurch
Commuters, who will be the ones left in the lurch, feel there should be a cap on the number of buses requisitioned for poll duty.
“While buses are required to conduct polls, their withdrawals should be more scientific. No route should have to see more than 20% of buses being withdrawn for weeks,” said Kasba resident Swastik Sen, a regular commuter on route 42A.
Bus owners say offering their vehicles for CAPF duty is more profitable than operating on city routes. For every bus on CAPF duty, operators get paid Rs 3,000-Rs 3,200 per day, with 75% of the total cost paid in advance and the cost of garage-to-garage fuel being borne by the authorities, said Saha. Requisitioned through police, these buses are taken for longer duration to move CAPF personnel across the state. Even buses requisitioned by the transport department for poll duty are paid Rs 2,350 per day.
Several contract carriage owners have also agreed to release school buses and pool cars for election duty but are hoping they will not be requisitioned before the summer break.
“My son uses a private school bus to commute. The operator informed us that services may be witdrawn on short notice due to the polls. If the bus gets requisitioned anytime soon, he will have to change two autos to reach school in Gariahat,” said Netaji Nagar resident Saikat Banerjee.
Around 3,500 private buses ply in the city daily, of which 500-odd will be requisitioned to ferry the forces.The Election Commission has requisitioned 920 companies of CAPF for Bengal and 263 companies have already reached for the first phase on April 19. Bus owners say the number of buses being withdrawn will keep rising as we head towards the later phases.
By the time Kolkata votes on June 1, almost 75% of city routes would be affected, claimed Tapan Banerjee of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate. “Fortunately, schools will be closed in May for summer holidays,” he said.
Titu Saha of city suburban bus service said, “The shortage will be more pronounced since a large number of buses are getting phased out from this year after completing 15 years in service but have not been replaced in the city pool.”
EC officials said they were already facing difficulties in hiring buses since the available pool had shrunk compared to the past.
Daily commuters fear being left in the lurch
Commuters, who will be the ones left in the lurch, feel there should be a cap on the number of buses requisitioned for poll duty.
“While buses are required to conduct polls, their withdrawals should be more scientific. No route should have to see more than 20% of buses being withdrawn for weeks,” said Kasba resident Swastik Sen, a regular commuter on route 42A.
Bus owners say offering their vehicles for CAPF duty is more profitable than operating on city routes. For every bus on CAPF duty, operators get paid Rs 3,000-Rs 3,200 per day, with 75% of the total cost paid in advance and the cost of garage-to-garage fuel being borne by the authorities, said Saha. Requisitioned through police, these buses are taken for longer duration to move CAPF personnel across the state. Even buses requisitioned by the transport department for poll duty are paid Rs 2,350 per day.
Several contract carriage owners have also agreed to release school buses and pool cars for election duty but are hoping they will not be requisitioned before the summer break.
“My son uses a private school bus to commute. The operator informed us that services may be witdrawn on short notice due to the polls. If the bus gets requisitioned anytime soon, he will have to change two autos to reach school in Gariahat,” said Netaji Nagar resident Saikat Banerjee.