OPERATE BUSES OR FACE MUSIC: MAMATA

At a time when diesel and petrol prices have been hiked by the Centre amid the lockdown, private bus operators had appealed to the West Bengal government to increase the fares, to which the government had refused. On Tuesday, commuters faced a harrowing time when several buses went off the road in protest and commuters had to push their way into other buses which were filled beyond their capacity in the current times. There are rules of certain number of passengers allowed on buses and over-crowding is not permitted in a bid to follow social distancing norms.

Hours later, CM Mamata Banerjee appealed to bus operators to put their ego fight aside, and said if required the state will bear the expenses of buses operating. The state will consider taking the legal route if bus operators do not comply.

“We were ready to give a Rs27crore subsidy so common man doesn’t get affected due to private buses not plying. I still appeal to them to keep their word, if they don’t then we have to find a way out, we have called them and spoken to them but then we have decided that we will take the legal route,” said Mamata.

“If required the buses will take these buses and recruit drivers and run the buses the expenses will be bourne by the state. But I still appeal to bus owners to stop their ego fights and run the buses and not to force us to take legal route. For this the government will take two three days time,” added Mamata.