The West Bengal government's motor vehicle revenue target for fiscal 2018-19 has been set at Rs 2,500 crore, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari said today.
In the current financial year, revenue generation from motor vehicles is expected to be Rs 2,300 crore as against Rs 1,990 crore achieved in 2016-17, Adhikari said in the state Assembly.
He said the state government will soon commence helicopter services to Purulia and Santiniketan.
The minister said the Coochbehar airport is ready for operations, while other airports in Malda and Balurghat for small fixed-wing aircraft are expected to be functional soon.
Initiative has also been taken for revival of Chharra Airport in Purulia, Adhikari said.
He said that 40 electric buses will be deployed in the near future in and around the city.
The transport department will later today inaugurate night bus services between 10 pm and 5 am connecting Howrah station, Sealdah station, Karunamoyee and Airport.
The minister said 25 such buses equipped with modern tracking gadgets will ply under police monitoring.
Volvo bus services between Kolkata and district head quarters will begin from April onwards.
Adhikari said a new policy is on the anvil for autos which are over three years old, and their routes will be fixed in consultation with police.
Speaking about safety, he said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call for 'Safe Drive Save Life' was yielding results. Accidents and deaths have reduced by 16 and 14 per cent, respectively, in 2017, the minister claimed.
Within one month, over 800 driving licences have been cancelled for talking on mobile phones while driving, Adhikari said.
Steps are also being taken to issue driving licences and vehicle fitness certificates under CCTV surveillance to make officials concerned accountable.
The West Bengal government has stopped issuing new franchisee bus service licences, and it will deploy state transport buses in those routes when the term of franchisee buses lapse, he said.
Meanwhile, the House cleared the Transport Department Budget of Rs 1,588 crore for 2018-19.
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