Kolkata’s transport department plans to increase the number of buses running at night after Mahalaya during Durga Puja, with private buses expected to remain available alongside government services following a meeting with bus-owner organisations on Tuesday.
Transport Minister Arjun Singh held the meeting at the state transport department’s second building in Kasba. The discussions focused on ensuring adequate private bus services during the festival, when passenger demand rises across Kolkata and surrounding areas.
Bus-owner organisations had raised concerns that several private buses were being taken off regular routes to transport police personnel deployed at different parts of the city ahead of the puja celebrations. They had also complained about penalties imposed by police for traffic violations.
After the meeting, the minister assured the operators that the use of private buses for police duties would be reduced. Where additional vehicles are required, government buses would be used to meet the demand, according to the report. The minister also directed officials to reduce services on suburban routes where passenger demand remains low during the puja period, if necessary, so that buses can be allocated for police and administrative requirements.
The government also indicated that it would examine a reduction in traffic fines imposed on private buses. Representatives of the All Bengal Bus Minibus Coordination Committee, the Bus Minibus Owners’ Association and the Minibus Operators Coordination Committee said they had been assured of a possible reduction of up to 40 per cent in police penalties. Singh said he would discuss the mechanism with the finance department.
The minister also said the government was seeking to recover around Rs 1,700 crore in outstanding taxes across various road-related categories. The report did not specify the period covered by the outstanding amount or how any proposed fine concession would be linked to tax recovery.
Kolkata Traffic Police officials attended the meeting and asked bus drivers to operate within disciplinary and safety requirements. The discussion took place against a continuing record of fatal bus crashes in the city. According to figures cited in the report, 24 people died in bus accidents in 2024, 38 died in 2025 and 29 had died so far in 2026.
Titu Saha, general secretary of the City Suburban Bus Service, said penalties were imposed on buses every year but accidents had not declined significantly. He argued that responsibility among bus drivers should be established before fines were imposed, otherwise the purpose of enforcement would not be achieved.
The transport minister said police were considering bringing bus drivers under punitive measures as part of efforts to reduce accidents. The report did not provide details of the proposed action, its legal basis or the timetable for implementation. The immediate measures discussed at the meeting concern night-time bus availability, deployment of vehicles for police duties, possible relief on penalties and driver discipline during the Durga Puja period.
