Adhering to the government policy, about 50% of the current private bus fleet in Kolkata will be scrapped this year. These commercial vehicles have completed 15 years in service and as per rule, will be discontinued from further use. While good for the environment, this has severely affected the public transportation in the city. Kolkata might soon face a transportation crisis as not many of these private bus operators are buying new buses. This has led to a significant shortage of buses in Kolkata right now and thus, the looming fear of this crisis.
50% Of Kolkata’s Private Bus Fleet To Be Scrapped This Year
As per reports, about 56% of the population in Kolkata relies on buses for daily commute. This number shows how heavily the locals depend on this public transportation. However, about 50% of the private buses in the city will be scrapped after completing 15 years in service this year. This has led the authorities to believe that Kolkata might face a transportation crisis soon.
There already has been a massive drop in the number of private buses operating in the city. According to data shared by The Times of India, about 3,500 private buses are operating in Kolkata right now. This is a massive drop from 6,000 buses that used to run in the city before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In fact, the concerned authorities have already been withdrawing 400 buses from the streets of Kolkata annually over the past few years.
Scrapping Leads To Transportation Crisis In Kolkata
As mentioned above, more than half of Kolkata’s population depends on public transport like buses. So, the scrapping of the old buses might not have been such a concern had new buses started operations in the city. As per reports, private operators have only purchased 26 new buses this year. This drastic difference between the number of new buses and the scrapped ones has definitely concerned the people in Kolkata about the transportation crisis.
Data also reveals that seeing the shortfall of buses in the city, people have started using more personal transportation for commuting. This has led to traffic congestion and pollution, and of course, heavily impacted the public transport system of Kolkata.
Public transportation is the need and basic necessity of every city! We hope the authorities are able to figure out the best solution for the people in Kolkata. What are your thoughts on this transport crisis in Kolkata? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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