The state had made a rule to run buses with fifty percent passengers. But overall the opposite is happening. About 50 percent of the buses on each route are on the road. Buses are crowded with bats during the busy office hours in the morning. There is a danger of spreading corona infection. This time the Transport Department has taken more strict action in this matter.
Transport Minister Firhad Hakim has made it clear that from now on if more than 50 percent passengers are on a bus, then the epidemic law will be implemented against the bus drivers and conductors besides the bus owners. At the same time, the Transport Minister has decided to take strict action against the allegation of charging extra fare.
Firhad Hakim said, ‘Now the school-college is closed. In comparison there are enough buses on the road. People don’t need to go out unnecessarily. And if the bus is crowded then the passengers need not board it. If they are confident that the bus will be available later, no passenger crowd wants to board the bus.
Regarding charging extra fare, Firhad said, if a bus charges extra fare from passengers, then passengers can file a police complaint against the bus by showing the ticket.
Rahul Chattopadhyay, general secretary of the All Bengal Bus Minibus Coordinating Committee, said after the state’s warning about extra passengers, “the extra fare is being charged to balance expenditure with income.” If 50 percent of the passengers were picked up on the old fare, then the bus would not run. This worries many passengers. According to many, the number of amnio buses in the city is very less. In such a situation, if the government tightens the rules for additional passengers, then the number of buses on the roads can be further reduced. The state did not allow hike in bus fares.
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