Bengal Bus Operators Not to Buy Diesel on Mondays in Protest Against Fuel Price Hike

A section of private bus operators in West Bengal has decided not to buy diesel every Monday from July 27 to protest against the rising fuel prices.

Joint Council of Bus Syndicates general secretary Tapan Banerjee said the operators demanded an immediate hikein fares owing to increasing diesel cost and COVID-19 related restrictions on the number of passengers that each bus can carry. He said the members of the association have decided that the refuelling would not be done on every Monday as a mark of protest against the mounting fuel prices.

Usually, private bus operators purchase diesel as and when necessary. "There has been a steep rise in diesel prices and the state government is not taking any decision on our demand fora fare hike. With these, the private bus transport business in West Bengal will go bankrupt," Banerjee said.

At present, the daily income from a bus falls far short of the expenses, he claimed. "The ticket sale proceeds do not even cover for the fuel cost, leave alone staff salary, insurance, bank EMI,maintenance and other expenses," Banerjee added.