Bus operators in Bengal announces strike from January 28

The bus operators called for a strike in West Bengal including Kolkata ahead of the assembly polls. The organisation called for a strike on multiple demands, including the imposition of GST on diesel and tax cuts. Doubts have already been raised about whether the city's private buses will be seen on the roads on the last three days of January.

The bus strike could have repercussions across the state. Fuel prices are rising day by day. Diesel price was hiked by 25 paise per liter in Kolkata on Tuesday (January 19). In this situation, it is alleged that additional buses are being hired on different routes in the state.

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Bus organizations have claimed that it is not possible to run the bus due to rising fuel costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The bus owners' association sat in a meeting on Tuesday. The organization has demanded a new rent restructuring. It was there that a three-day bus strike was decided at the end of January. Former Transport Minister Madan Mitra has alleged that the BJP is behind the bus strike.

Announcing the plan to go on a strike, Joint Council of Bus Syndicates general secretary Tapan Banerjee demanded that GST be levied on diesel in place of various taxes imposed by the Centre and the states.

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A bus strike has been called on January 28, 29, and 30. The bus owners have made several other demands including fare hikes. If their demands are not met, a continuous strike has been called in the coming days. In this situation, buses and minibusses may not be seen in the city of Kolkata. Not only that, it is feared that private buses may be disrupted in the entire state. All in all, the bus passengers may be the ultimate victims of the bus strike at the end of January. 
 

• bus operators
• strike
• january
• kolkata