Commuters suffer in Bengal bus strike

Commuters faced a hard time Thursday as a section of bus operators went on a two-day strike in West Bengal to press for a fare hike.

The Joint Council of Bus Syndicates, one of the largest bus operators in the state, is demanding a fare hike and said Wednesday its fleet of 38,000 buses would be taken off the roads for two days.

Transport Minister Madan Mitra warned operators against the decision, saying the state would deploy additional buses to bridge the gap.

On the first day, fewer buses plied in the city. But, around 3,000 private buses of the Bengal Bus Syndicate were on roads.

Over 50 lakh commuters faced lengthy queues.

"There are less buses but still a good number are plying...however it is not sufficient...we are standing for a long time in queues," said a commuter.

Buses of state-run organisations like West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation and Calcutta State Transport Corporation also ferried passengers across the city.

Operators have been pressing for a hike since the last revision in November 2012, asserting that the revision is not enough to cover operational costs.