People wait for buses at a bus stand in Kolkata (File photo)
Around 44,000 private buses in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal will remain off road for the next 48 hours. The private bus operators began their strike from 6 am today in their call for a hike in fares, a demand which the Mamata Banerjee government has repeatedly rejected.
The bus unions have said that a hike in the bus fares is necessary due to the increasing rise in price of diesel, which has been raised 12 times since November and is currently 10 rupees more expensive than last year.
However, the state government has refused to give in to the demand.
"The state government won't succumb to the pressure of a section of bus operators under any circumstances and the question doesn't arise of a hike in bus fares immediately," state transport minister Madan Mitra said. (
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Assuring of measures to keep transport active during the strike days, Mr Mitra said, "Employees of all transport corporations will be kept ready in all depots from tonight to operate buses from early tomorrow (On Thursday)."
Though the state government runs only 3000 buses in the state, some private operators, loyal to the Trinamool Congress government, may not participate in the strike.