Transport unions clamour for fare hike, write to CM

Kolkata: A severe public transport crisis has gripped Kolkata as private bus operators massively cut services or pulled fleets off the roads entirely. Driven to the brink by diesel prices hovering near Rs 100 per litre, transport operators, app-cab drivers and stranded commuters are united in a singular, urgent demand: an immediate, official hike in fares. Kolkata's official bus fare structure has been frozen since 2018, when the state govt approved a meagre increase of Rs 1 per stage, setting rates at Rs 8, Rs 10 and Rs 12. Deeming those numbers completely unviable, operators and commuters later entered into an unofficial pact, pushing daily street fares to a realistic minimum of Rs 10, scaling up to Rs 12, Rs 15 and Rs 18. However, with fuel costs now obliterating profit margins, even this makeshift arrangement has collapsed. According to transport unions, at least 24 major routes — including 37, 40, 21/1, 75, 30B and 17 — are operating at less than 75% fleet strength. Operators are strictly restricting trips to peak office hours and abandoning the afternoon heat. "Three trips fetch us about Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000 a day," explained Tapan Banerjee of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate. "But fuel alone devours nearly Rs 4,000 daily. Once you factor in the 20% commission for transport workers, police fines, maintenance and insurance, we are losing money every time the wheels turn.""When the 2018 structure was built, the base price of diesel was Rs 68. Today, it touched Rs 100," said Titu Saha of the City Suburban Bus Service. "An official revision is the only logical step." Rather than waiting for a new transport minister, three major bus unions have sent a direct plea to CM Suvendu Adhikari, seeking emergency intervention. Swapan Ghosh of the Minibus Operators' Coordination Committee confirmed that routes are already facing a 25% to 30% reduction in active vehicles. The crisis extends far beyond large buses. App-cab and ride-hailing bike riders are facing an identical squeeze, forcing many to cancel rides or demand extra cash over the app fare. "The platforms haven't scaled our base rates with this new Rs 113 petrol and Rs 100 diesel. We need a legal, govt-mandated fare hike tied to fuel indexes. Right now, passengers are angry because we turn off the AC, but we simply cannot afford to run it," said Indranil Mitra, an app-cab operator. "For ordinary citizens, the service cuts have made the daily commute a gruelling ordeal, leaving hundreds stranded after sunset. "After 8 pm, private buses vanish on selective routes. They complain about lack of passengers, but there are dozens of us waiting here every single night. We are willing to pay a higher, fair price if it guarantees a ride home," said Sneehadeep Basu, a medical representative waiting at the Park Street crossing. Kalyan Chowdhury, an engineer who takes the Metro from Shyambazar to Tollygunge before trying to board a local bus, described a worsening safety hazard. "With no private buses on the road past 8 pm, hundreds of desperate passengers are forced to hang precariously from the footboard of the lone govt bus. The govt must allow a fare hike before an accident happens."