KOLKATA: Private buses in the city and districts will come out in higher numbers from Monday, when government and most private offices and establishments are set to recommence near-normal functioning, transport operators said here on Sunday.
The Joint Council of Bus Syndicates general secretary Tapan Banerjee said that in response to an appeal by the West Bengal Transport department for bringing out more buses in various routes, the operators have decided to increase the number of private buses, the mainstay of passenger transportation by road in the state.
"In a meeting with Transport department officials, we have assured to increase the number of buses on the road despite operating losses by carrying only seating capacity passengers," he said.
Banerjee said that a three-member regulatory committee set up by the West Bengal government to look into the private bus operators' demand for revision of fares will meet on Monday.
"We have been asked to provide details of income and expenditure for running the buses by Monday to the committee," he said.
Government buses have been running on optimum strength in the city and the districts, but these proved to be much less than the requirement with many offices having started functioning from June one.
The Mamata Banerjee government had announced that all state government offices will start functioning from June 8 with 70 per cent staff, while private offices and establishments can decide on their work force.
Shopping malls, restaurants and some other such establishments are also set to reopen from Monday.
Private bus operators had earlier expressed their reluctance to ply their vehicles with only seating capacity passengers demanding a hike in fares, leading to a harrowing time for commuters from the beginning of the month.
However, the private operators started bringing out some buses in the city and the districts since the middle of last week.