Poll duty: Transport services in city, suburbs to remain disrupted on Thursday & Friday

MP  | 5 July 2023 : Students and commuters to face problems in availing pool car and bus services in the city and suburbs on Thursday and Friday as a substantial number of them have been requisitioned by the State Election Commission (SEC) for the polls duty which is going to take place on July 8. Around 20 to 30 per cent out of 3,500 operating pool cars in Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas have been requisitioned for election purposes. 

According to the Secretary of the Pool Car Owners Welfare Association, Sudip Dutta said: “Since most of the vehicles will be deployed in Panchayat elections, irregular services will be there on these two days but it will go back to normality from Monday. We will give service but it will not be like normal services. 

Hence they have appealed to the guardians that since there will be a shortage of cars, they may have to bear the problem for two days.” Moreover, 1,000 to 1,500 buses have been taken for the Panchayat election. 

There are 86 routes under Kolkata Motor Vehicles and if other routes under neighbouring districts are considered then there are at least 120 routes. In these routes, at least 5,000 buses ply on day to day. Since 1,000 to 1,500 buses have been requisitioned by the SEC, commuters may suffer because of irregular bus services, the General Secretary of City Suburban Bus Service Titu Saha said: ”Bus services will be disrupted in routes, particularly in Barasat, Budge Budge, and Diamond Harbour Road, amongst other routes.” 

However, Saha raised the doubt that since central forces will be plied for Panchayat polls, their deployment will also need vehicles. But this requirement has not been conveyed to them as of yet. With the unavailability of buses and pool cars, school-going students will also face problems. 

Considering this, Delhi Public School, Ruby Park, will remain closed on Thursday and Friday. They are yet to inform us whether online classes will be held for these two days. Meanwhile, South Point High School transport service will not be available on these two days due to school buses being requisitioned by the SEC for the Panchayat election. Normal functioning will resume from Monday, they informed.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/poll-duty-transport-services-in-city-suburbs-to-remain-disrupted-on-thursday-friday-524634