New ray of hope for bus owners & operators

 With around 1,200 buses awaiting a decision on their fate, transport owners and operators are seeing a new ray of hope amid clouds of uncertainty.

SNS | Kolkata | June 12, 2025 : With around 1,200 buses awaiting a decision on their fate, transport owners and operators are seeing a new ray of hope amid clouds of uncertainty.

The bus owners’ and operators bodies named City Suburban Bus Service, All Bengal Bus MiniBus Samannay Samity, Basanti Highway Bus Owners Samannay Committee, Biswa Bangla Bus Service, Howrah Bus Welfare Society, North 24-Parganas Bus Owners United Forum, Howrah Bus Mini Bus Owners Welfare Association had approached the court on the issue of phasing out of 15-year-old vehicles.

The court in its observations asked the two parties, including the state transport department and the bus owners and operators to find an ‘amicable solution’ on the issue. Considering the fact, the state transport department held a meeting with the petitioners including the seven organisations where a consensus was reached where 15-year-old vehicles might not be phased out just because they reached that age. Instead, the vehicles could be allowed to continue plying if they passed the fitness certificate and pollution tests twice a year. For this, the operators and owners would have to shell out Rs 12,500 each time they approach for the testing. The proposal is awaiting a nod from the court where the next hearing is scheduled later this month.

If the idea gets a nod from the judiciary, it could come as a big relief for the transport operators and owners. According to the general secretary of City Suburban Bus Services, Titu Saha, the proposal, if approved, could play a crucial role in reviving the crippled transport sector in the state.

“There are around 4,000 to 5,000 buses in Kolkata. If the idea gets the court nod, it would help in bringing back around 1,200 buses that have gone off the roads because of the previous order of phasing out of 15-year-old vehicles,” informed the general secretary. “It would be like a new lease of life to the public transport system,” he added.