Bengal govt to operate more buses during Left bandh

The West Bengal government will operate "22 per cent" more buses that what plies on a normal day during a bandh called by Left parties on Wednesday, Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari said.

The West Bengal Transport Corporation will operate 1,150 buses compared to a daily average of 900, while South Bengal State Transport Corporation will run 826 buses as against a normal of 692, Adhikari said on Tuesday.

The North Bengal State Transport Corporation will run 655 buses compared to a daily average of 605 buses, he said.

The minister said all vehicles registered in West Bengal will be covered by an insurance of up to Rs 6 lakh if damaged during the strike.

He said FIRs must be registered within 24 hours of any incident of damaging vehicles during the bandh.

Adhikari said associations and unions of private bus, taxi and app cab operators have committed to ensuring normal services across the state following meetings with transport department officials.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said though she backs protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, she will not support any bandh for the cause.