Kolkata’s bus transport system is seeing a wider role for women, with female conductors, drivers and bus owners now participating across several routes as the number of women passengers also increases, according to a report by Anandabazar – Kolkata.
The development was highlighted at the fourth edition of a bus journey organised by Kolkata Bus and Pidia on Friday. The event began at Howrah Maidan and travelled to Rabindra Sadan, bringing together government and private buses to showcase the history of the city’s bus network and the contribution of women transport workers.
The report said women are working as conductors on several routes operated by the state transport corporation. It also identified Dolly Rana, the owner of a bus operating on the Kona–Esplanade route, also known as Route 57. Rana herself works as the conductor on her bus.
Women drivers are also reported to be working on buses on the Nimta–Howrah, Noapara–Esplanade or Route 34C, and Diamond Harbour–Howrah routes. These examples point to participation across different parts of bus operations, rather than only in passenger-facing roles.
The event also linked the growth in women’s participation to changes in bus usage. The report said the number of women travelling on government buses has increased significantly after arrangements were made for women to travel without paying fares. It did not provide figures for the increase or specify the full details of the fare arrangement.
Transport Minister Arjun Singh inaugurated the journey from Howrah Maidan and called for greater participation by women in the private bus business. His remarks placed the focus not only on employment in bus operations but also on women’s involvement in owning and managing transport services.
The programme included an exhibition on Kolkata’s 196-year bus history, displays on the work of women bus employees and presentations on the role of buses in public transport. Aniket Bandyopadhyay of the organising group described buses as the city’s “moving history” and said the event was intended to preserve and present that history.
The minister also assured participants that an increase in bus fares would be considered with importance. The report did not state whether a fare revision had been approved, give a proposed timeline or identify the scale of any possible increase. The next steps therefore remain subject to a formal decision by the transport authorities.
