KOLKATA: Private bus operators in West Bengal on Tuesday demanded that fares be immediately increased in order to cope with the rise in diesel prices and other factors involved in running their vehicles.
Joint Council of Bus Syndicates general secretary Tapan Banerjee said that only about 30 per cent of buses registered with it are at present running in the state.
All Bengal Bus Minibus Samanyay Samiti (ABBMSS), another body of bus operators, claimed that around 60 per cent of its buses in south Bengal and 50 per cent buses in the northern districts are running.
"Without an immediate increase in fares by the government, it is becoming impossible for bus operators to carry on with the business given the huge daily operating losses," Banerjee told PTI.
ABBMSS general secretary Rahul Chatterjee said that the government has mooted alternative proposals to reduce operating costs, including changing over to CNG, but an increase in fares is imperative.
"These are long term proposals which will take time to implement, but as of now there must be an increase in fares," he told PTI.
Sources said that some bus operators are requesting passengers to pay a little extra than the stipulated fares, which are also leading to fracas between the commuters and the bus conductors on occasions.
"This is not a solution, the government should increase the fares so that these can be charged as per fare charts provided by the transport department," Chatterjee said.
Banerjee claimed that the last time bus fares were increased in West Bengal was in March, 2018 when diesel prices were around Rs 63 per litre in the state.
"Diesel price is now more than Rs 100 here and is increasing almost daily, how can we make ends meet?" he asked, adding that other operating costs like toll tax on highways and maintenance -related expenses have also risen.
Chatterjee said that apart from the owner, at least six workers earn their livelihood from one bus.
"When a bus goes off the road, all these people become jobless," he said.
Banerjee claimed that private bus operators carry almost 85 per cent of bus passengers, with the rest being served by state transport undertakings like West Bengal Transport Corporation, North Bengal State Transport Corporation and South Bengal State Transport Corporation.