Kolkata, March 24: The West Bengal Transport Department has officially notified the Election Commission about the revised bus and vehicle fares designated for election duties.
On Monday, Principal Secretary Soumitra Mohan submitted an updated list of rates to the Election Commission, highlighting a significant increase compared to previous years. This letter was addressed to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and detailed the fare rates along with other terms and conditions.
The rates for hiring buses for election duties in other states are considerably higher than those in West Bengal, even for buses with lower passenger capacities.
As a result, private route bus owners in the state have already indicated that they will refuse to provide their vehicles unless the increased rates are met, placing the transport department in a challenging position.
The Election Commission has repeatedly requested information from the transport department regarding vehicle availability. Meanwhile, private bus owners have maintained their stance, stating they will not provide vehicles unless fares are raised. After several meetings, the transport department has now formally communicated the revised fare rates to the Chief Electoral Officer in writing.
Rahul Chatterjee, Secretary of the All Bengal Bus-Mini Bus Coordination Committee, noted that there is a consistent demand for buses and vehicles for election-related tasks each year. However, he pointed out that the fare rates in West Bengal have remained significantly lower than those in other states. Previously, the fare for a bus was ₹2,530, with each crew member receiving an allowance of ₹250.
In this context, he stated, “We have requested a 10% increase to cover both bus fares and daily allowances for crew members. We informed the transport department about this matter last October. Now, we have formally submitted this appeal to the Election Commission.”
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