Owners of vehicles damaged on strike day get compensation

West Bengal Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday handed over compensation cheques to people whose cars and buses were damaged on the day of a strike called by some central trade unions on January 8.

The owners of two private vehicles and managing directors of state transport undertakings, whose buses were damaged, were given compensation offered under an insurance scheme, state Transport secretary N S Nigam said.

The maximum amount given to a single owner was Rs 2.34 lakh, he said.

The state government had insured all vehicles that plied on January 8 for a maximum amount of Rs 5 lakh each.

The minister also handed over sanction letters to 1500 Gatidhara scheme beneficiaries, under which the state government provides subsidy for buying commercial vehicles to jobless young people.

The minister also flagged off 10 electric buses and two inter-state buses that would ply between Kolkata and destinations in Bihar and Odisha, Nigam said.

Adhikari also flagged off several motorbikes and ambulances to Howrah city police and other authorities.